Regardless if you’re established or up and coming, the life of a writer can be a solitary profession so sometimes it’s good to know who to turn to when you need support or advice. To help point you in the right direction (no pun intended) the festival has assembled a group of individuals from supporting bodies in Wales and the UK including Keith Potter (Head of Production and Development from the Film Agency for Wales), Suzanne Bell (Literary Manager at from Everyman Theatre), and Hollie Aldridge (Literature Officer for Academi – the Welsh National Literature Promotion Agency and Society for Authors).

Buy tickets.

Suzanne Bell works as a Dramaturg, script consultant and director in theatre, film, television and radio. She has worked with and developed a variety of writers and projects across different media and spaces in cities including London, Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, Oxford, Brighton and New York. In 2001 Suzanne was appointed the first Literary Manager and Dramaturg at the Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse. She has set up and run an extensive Playwright Support Programme including Writers Attachment Schemes, Young Writers’ Programmes, community projects and an annual new writing Festival, Everyword. She is currently working on a range of projects with various writers towards production at the Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse and theatres across the UK. She recently produced four short films for the Three Minute Wonder slot on Channel 4.

Keith Potter joined the Film Agency for Wales in September 2007 as ‘Head of Talent’. He has responsibility for identifying and nurturing Welsh filmmaking talent. Keith was previously responsible for a slate of projects intended for cinema release at Dan Films including ‘Blonde’, a horror movie written by Wales’ own writer-director Caradog James. He also developed the latest Christopher Smith project ‘Triangle’ and Tom Rob Smith’s ‘Put Together’, whose first novel has since been optioned by Ridley Scott to direct. He has also worked closely with novelist Jeff Noon on adapting his story ‘Creeping Zero’. As a member of the advisory board of the UK Screenwriters Festival, Keith is committed to developing film writing and directing talent.

Hollie Aldridge is originally from Wigan in Lancashire. She studied English Literature at Aberystwyth University before moving to Cardiff to study at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama on their post graduate Arts Management course. Hollie joined Academi as a Literature Officer in April 2006. Her main responsibilities are English-language events, projects, literary competitions, festivals and conferences.