Free Books Campaign launches ‘urgent’ fundraiser to help make free festival happen

The Free Books Campaign is urgently calling on publishers to get in touch to donate books, merchandise or offer sponsorship to help the annual Free Books Festival take place.

The Free Books Campaign is a non-profit dedicated to bridging the gap in access to literature for all ages. Launched in 2020, it focuses on getting books by authors of colour to those who can’t afford or access them, across the UK and Ireland. 

In four years, The Free Books Campaign has donated over 8,000 brand new books to service users, partnered with Marcus Rashford’s Book Club, built an online community of over 7,500 people and started an annual entirely-free literature festival. 

This year, Candice Carty-Williams, Bolu Babalola, Caleb Femi and Dapo Adeola have been unveiled as patrons, supporting the campaign and creative-directing this year’s free festival. It will be held over three days at BSix Sixth Form College in Hackney, London, from Friday 19th July to Sunday 21st July. 

In the fundraiser description, Sofia Akel, founder of Free Books Campaign, said: "The funds we raised back in 2020 have carried us throughout the years. However, as our community grows, so does our demand to support more people. We do this through connecting readers with books, creating career and networking opportunities for local people, working together with local organisations and residents’ associations to understand the needs of local communities and more.

"Over four years I’ve been using my savings and income from my freelance work to fund my work here at the Free Books Campaign—having never paid myself. I share this to say that this has been a real labour of love and something I continue to be passionate and excited about.

"We’re working with a number of grassroots organisations, publishers, book clubs, agencies, brands such as Tate, Netflix, Gymshark, Hackney Empire, Fujifilm, Inclusive Books for Children, Vintage, and more, who are all supporting to ensure that we can create a vivid, exciting, engaging and accessible programme for everyone who walks through our doors—whether or not you consider yourself a reader, there’s a home for you here but without crucial funds and book donations, we won’t be able to continue." 

Akel said that any funds raised will be spent on covering essential festival costs, such as: the festival’s entirely-free bookstore, where attendees can browse and take home a brand new book at no cost; complimentary food and refreshments for all attendees, volunteers and guests over three days; free daycare/creche for parents who cannot afford childcare and event resources and operational costs.

Author Candice Carty-Williams said: "It’s been amazing to witness both the rise and the scope of the Free Books Campaign. Every single person deserves what the escape of reading brings, and it’s an honour to be part of this movement in a small way."

Illustrator Dapo Adeola said: "The Free Books Campaign does such an amazing job of making a wide array of books from authors and illustrators from diverse backgrounds accessible to everyone. A mission that aligns with my own to make children’s publishing a more transparent and inclusive space, I’m honoured to be a patron." The fundraiser can be found here.