'I was honoured to participate, gained immensely from the experience and will build on it in future’
Comment from past participant.

The British Council's Cambridge Seminar on contemporary literature has influenced discussion, performance and debate of literature for over 30 years. The 2007 programme featured many well-known - as well as innovatory and new - names, including major novelists: Howard Jacobson, Kirsty Gunn, Rachel Seiffert, John Lanchester, Maureen Freely, Michel Faber; poets as interesting in performance as on the page: Andrew Motion (the poet laureate), John Hegley, Roger McGough, Jackie Kay; the eminent literary biographer Sir Michael Holroyd; the dramatist and diarist Simon Gray; and writers of many diverse genres: Simon Brett and Geoff Dyer. We also held a panel discussion on the challenges in publishing today with influential representative from Fabers and Google plus a session with the Guardian cartoonist Martin Rowson on adapting classics into graphic novels.

Over the years the seminar has brought together an impressive group of contemporary British writers and critics and offers delegates an unrivalled and unforgettable literary experience consisting of a lively mix of talks, panel discussions, performances, debates and an opportunity to talk with the writers about their work.

Participants, who come from many countries, have opportunities to meet and hear a wide range of writers from Britain, as well as take part in discussions about a range of literary trends and issues. In bringing together the insight and experiences of writers and participants in a strongly international context, the Cambridge Seminar offers an unrivalled literary experience. This is an opportunity to take part in one of the most intimate and influential literary events in the world in the relaxed surroundings of a Cambridge University College.  

Many people who have attended the seminar in the past have described it as a defining moment in their careers, bringing them up-to-date with new trends in writing today and introducing them to an international network of like-minded people. The seminar profiles the UK’s creative ideas and achievements and has been proven to increase the number of quality relationships between the UK and many other countries. It actively builds ties for the UK’s creative and knowledge economy.

The event is fully residential and is organised by British Council Seminars and the Literature Department.
The British Council's Literature website can be found at: http://www.britishcouncil.org/arts/arts-literature.htm

READ THE BLOG
Find out about the experiences of participants and British Council staff who were present at the 2007 event by reading the Cambridge Seminar blog hosted on the Encompass Culture website. Click on the July archive to view all posts under the heading 'Cambridge Seminar'.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND THIS SEMINAR?
The target group for the Seminar is anyone who is professionally engaged with literature: writers, translators, academics, literary editors and critics, teachers, librarians, broadcasters, literary venue administrators and festival programmers. Good spoken English is essential: participants will get most from the Seminar if they enjoy and contribute to the discussion and interchange it fosters. The Seminar also provides participants with the opportunity to meet and network with other literature professionals. There are places for up to 50 participants. Applications will be considered and selections made as soon as possible.

‘The diversity of the Seminar…makes this event very distinctive.' Past participant