O'Donnell appointed director of Children's and Young People's Programme at the Oxford Literary Festival

Ben O’Donnell has succeeded Andrea Reece as Director of the Children’s & Young People’s programme at FT Weekend Oxford Literary Festival. Reece previously held the position for 10 years. 

O’Donnell is a children’s reading and literature consultant with over 10 years’ experience in the reading charity and publishing industries. He has previous been involved in national reading programmes, literary prizes and festival directing and programming; now his role as director will be to "further develop the relationship between the festival and local schools". O’Donnell commented: "I’m delighted to be joining the team at Oxford to work on such a prestigious festival. As levels of reading for pleasure continue to be under threat, I greatly look forward to continuing the festival’s legacy of fantastic events to inspire and thrill children and young people." 

On O’Donnell’s appointment, festival director Sally Dunsmore said: "We are very excited that Ben has agreed to join our team — directing the festival’s Children’s & Young People’s programme. His immensely impressive track record in publishing, reading and children’s literature is extraordinary and we are so lucky to benefit from his imaginative creativity and his deep commitment to writing for young people.”

The FT Weekend Oxford Literary Festival is the first literary festival of the calendar year. The Children’s & Young People’s Programme takes place on the first and last weekend of the festival. Next year the festival will run from 16th to 24th March 2024.