Primadonna: a festival for people who love books. And ideas. And interesting conversations. And music in the sunshine. And good food in a field. And comedy and cabaret and workshops for the mind, body and soul.
Theirs is.
At Primadonna they put on a weekend of talks, workshops, performances and FUN every summer in the beautiful setting of the Food Museum in Stowmarket, Suffolk.
Their lineup offers something for everyone: alongside their programme of conversations, round tables and interviews, they have live music, comedy, food, drink, DJs and therapies alongside three days of workshops to nourish the mind, body and soul. And a wellness area for anything that these don’t manage to heal or calm.
Their line-up gives prominence to women, Black and Asian artists, the LGBTQIA+ community, working class and disabled people: everyone is welcome at Primadonna. As well as familiar names, they give emerging talent a chance to shine: so you’re as likely to see the next big thing (they had Bernardine Evaristo before she won the Booker and Self Esteem before she won, well, everything) as a household name (Sandi Toksvig is a regular; Betty Boo came in 2022).
More than that, they want to change the way books and publishing work, by spotlighting voices from the margins and offering money-can’t-buy opportunities for you to come and get advice for your own writing. Their USP is that they change lives: you can come to Primadonna and leave with a book deal – you wouldn’t be the first.
But even if you’re not a writer, there’s so much on offer for you to enjoy: it’s a weekend of books, big ideas and alternative entertainment that will enlighten, entertain and uplift you. It’s really not to be missed.
