Motoring Literary & Art Festival 6 Nov 2022

https://porterpress....ry-art-festival

I thought that this might be of interest

Looks expensive.

Not the entrance, but what might ensue...

No sign of the price on the website so presumably not for toerags like me 

I bet DCN has a +1 !!!!!

When there at least three businesses involved in organising the event it's going to be costly to get in because I would assume that the potential audience will be a few hundred at best.  We will see.

My invitation to do a book signing must have been lost in the post ..

Good luck to all involved, something to keep one off the streets on a cold winters day and perfectly timed for the season mass consumption, does that make it a win, win ?

Looks expensive.

Not the entrance, but what might ensue...

Edited by Richard Jenkins, 20 August 2022 - 05:40.

I was thinking more of what books might be on offer.

It's not the cheapest, no. Certainly if you wanted to do as much as possible. If you pick and choose what you do, it's not too bad when you compare it against other events.

https://www.ticketta...68/?ref=powr-io

I don't think that's unreasonable, starting at £15 for basic entry, although it would depend upon what is actually there on the day.  Two or three speaker sessions would add a bit.  But somewhat frustrating that they're running simultaneously in three theatres and, typically, the two of most interest to me clash.

Porter Press have a launch next week at Silverstone of my old mate's 962 book.

Serge has been working for over 30 years on this.

If the 956 tome is anything to go by it will be a cracker but bring along someone strong to lift it.

The text below was part of the general mail out they sent out yesterday to their list.

So I presume that anyone who wishes to attend should just drop them a note.

Porter Press would also like to invite you to join us for the launch of the spectacular Ultimate Works Porsche 962 books written by Serge Vanbockryck - all three volumes!

To celebrate the launch, we are thrilled to be joined by Derek Bell, John Fitzpatrick, John Watson and Richard Watling who, together with Serge, will take part in a panel discussion on everything 962, fronted by Wayne Scott. This will be followed by a book signing.

This will take place at the Silverstone Interactive Museum from 6pm. Please RSVP to louise@porterpress.co.uk by Tuesday 23rd August.

I’ve booked to go in November, taking in the Theatre 1 lectures and refreshments so £150 for the day. I’ll probably bring a few books along for autographing

Do we know how much the three volume ultimate works 962 magnus opus is going to cost? My guess is £600 for the least expensive version

Have heard from Porter Press about the above books and posted the info on the main book thread

As a further incentive for booking, Porter Press are now offering one free book per paid-for lecture as well as a book for attending the event, I've posted the relevant part of their email below

We are delighted to announce that anyone booking to attend the first Motoring Literary & Art Festival will be able to choose a free book from a list of more than a dozen Porter Press titles. For each theatre session booked, attendees will be entitled to another free book per session - while stocks last.

‘Of course, this also applies to all those who have already booked,’ states Philip Porter. ‘It is our way of thanking those who support this new and very different winter motoring event, just before Christmas.

‘It is also an encouragement to book as soon as possible as stocks are limited.’

The list: Great Cars D-type, Stirling Moss Scrapbook 1955, Exceptional Cars Maserati 4CLT, Model T Ford, Stirling Moss - The Definitive Biography, Great Cars Lightweight E 49 FXN, Austin-Healey DD 300, Exceptional Cars XK 120, Stirling Moss Scrapbook 1929-54, Exceptional Cars Aston Martin Ulster, Living The Goode Life, Coachbuilt Cars - Jaguar XK 120 Supersonic, Barry Cryer Scrapbook, XK Files - 120. Having booked, you will have the opportunity to make your choices.
 

Edited by PRD, 08 September 2022 - 10:48.

Had to google the Barry Cryer Scrapbook to make sure it was the late lamented comedian rather than someone with a motoring connection 

Had to google the Barry Cryer Scrapbook to make sure it was the late lamented comedian rather than someone with a motoring connection 

You'll have had your tea, Little Chris?

Despite the price I've decided to give it a go. Booked the BRM and the Hesketh talks. Can't help thinking that a certain regular contributor to this forum and well known book writer should be on the BRM panel ..... 

Any inside (or indeed, outside) info on exhibitors yet?

Despite the price I've decided to give it a go. Booked the BRM and the Hesketh talks. Can't help thinking that a certain regular contributor to this forum and well known book writer should be on the BRM panel .....

Any inside (or indeed, outside) info on exhibitors yet?

For the BRM Panel Discussion - as an example - is it an open forum?  Or to put it another way, who provides and asks the questions?

Sadly, this has been cancelled. Very disappointed but maybe there's time to plan ahead for something in 2023.

Shame, but the letter from Phillip Porter makes it clear it was lack of committed support from exhibitors and, I think, too few booked in guests made it financially unviable 

Shame, but the letter from Phillip Porter makes it clear it was lack of committed support from exhibitors and, I think, too few booked in guests made it financially unviable 

Yes, it is disappointing. The letter from Louise says its postponed until November 2023, so with more publicity throughout the summer events perhaps people will commit themselves both as exhibitors and guests and it will go ahead then.

I've not seen an email yet but this is a shame I was really looking forward to the event. Such an excellent and long overdue idea.   There appears to be no mention of cancellation on their website yet.  I do hope they can put something together next year. 

Perhaps - with all due respect -  a more robust effort next time will result in the event taking place. I would sincerely hope so as I really like the idea of such an event.  However, their website and communication needs to improve. 

As a potential attendee, I had very little real idea of what to expect.  Could I have asked for Tony Southgate's and Howden Ganley's retrospective opinion of the BRM P180 for example?!

Maybe I will find out next year...

If their prices reflected even a passing acquaintance with economic reality I'd have been tempted . But forty quid for 90 minutes Alexander Hesketh , when I can listen to him on a 60 minute podcast free ? 

You can watch motor racing, football matches, music etc. for free but people still pay hefty prices to be there live.  Forty quid for 90 minutes but you're paying for a venue, setting up costs, speaker costs(?) etc.  That said, that is a level, when the cost of getting there is added in, where I was thinking about it rather than signing up immediately.  That and the disappointment of the two speakers I would have signed up for being on in different theatres at the same time.  As it happens, I did speak to Philip Porter briefly at the Revival and mentioned about the time clash.  He didn't really reply but I sort of got the impression that I might not have been the only person to have mentioned it.

I really do hope it happens in future because I also think it is a great idea.  

I feel that this generous gesture from Porter Press is worthy of a mention.

All those who have booked for the Motoring Literary & Art Festival will, of course, be reimbursed in full.

We are also keen to honour our complimentary books offer. Therefore, we will send out the books people have chosen. 

To those who have booked, we are desperately sorry we could not go ahead this year - and thank you very much for your support - but are planning to hold it, bigger and better, in mid-November next year.

You can watch motor racing, football matches, music etc. for free but people still pay hefty prices to be there live.  Forty quid for 90 minutes but you're paying for a venue, setting up costs, speaker costs(?) etc.  That said, that is a level, when the cost of getting there is added in, where I was thinking about it rather than signing up immediately.  That and the disappointment of the two speakers I would have signed up for being on in different theatres at the same time.  As it happens, I did speak to Philip Porter briefly at the Revival and mentioned about the time clash.  He didn't really reply but I sort of got the impression that I might not have been the only person to have mentioned it.

 

I really do hope it happens in future because I also think it is a great idea.  

 I think one is paying for the venue already,  as there is an admission fee just to get in . And of course , profit on food  - one isn't going to take a packed lunch . That said

, if it weren't a 300plus mile round trip it could have been fun 

If their prices reflected even a passing acquaintance with economic reality I'd have been tempted . But forty quid for 90 minutes Alexander Hesketh , when I can listen to him on a 60 minute podcast free ? 

It was £40 for the BRM talk presumably as they were hoping for JYS to commit and he might well have asked for a contribution to his dementia charity. The other talks were £25, as far as I recall.

I'd have been happy to drive from Devon to Silverstone and back for the day and was really looking forward to going, hopefully it'll be rearrranged for November next year.

Edited by PRD, 28 September 2022 - 12:19.

Now rescheduled for 2-3 December this year in the Silverstone Wing.  Not much detail at http://porterpress.c...ry-art-festival but, no doubt, more to follow.

Now rescheduled for 2-3 December this year in the Silverstone Wing.  Not much detail at http://porterpress.c...ry-art-festival but, no doubt, more to follow.

Line up now complete apparently https://www.motorlit...co.uk/programme

The price for each of these talks seems totally unrealistic 

£18 each 

To hear the man who runs Silverstone talk about….Silverstone

Not for me, or, I suspect, many others.

Arguably , it is preferable to hearing from the man who runs Silverstone talking about Knockhill or cattle husbandry . 

Edited by Steve L, 05 August 2023 - 15:52.

I'm attending tomorrow, booked to see the GT40 Panel with Jackie Oliver, Tony Southgate, Sam Hancock and Mark Cole plus the BR Panel (Jackie Oliver, Howden Ganley, Tony Southgate, Mike Pilbeam and others)

Good for book shopping. Quite a relaxed feel to the event.

Usual attitude-laden Silverstone security at the car park and very limited catering. You need to head towards the hotel once you're in the gate; it's not that obvious.

I found  the security folk welcoming and polite, maybe I was lucky? 

As an event I enjoyed it but unless you had booked a few talks (I booked 5 I think) there wasn't enough to occupy more than a morning , really. Venue was fine , but as said catering was so so and you had to search for somewhere to sit down . Car show in pit garage was quality more than quantity - Ferrari Superamerica was a first for me - Breadvan, ERA and sundry XKs of varying provenance . 

But the talks made it worthwhile - I did Hesketh (Lord H unrecognisably thin , but on entertaining form ) , Watson /Michaels . BRM panel (some nice acerbic comments  from Jackie Oliver) , Benetton(Damien Smith and Pat Symonds)  and Lee Mackenzie and Gary  Anderson (both excellent ) . 

The format needs improving - some talks I wanted to hear clashed with others I had booked and , well, it ain't cheap . That may have ensured a right crowd and no crowding vibe but the talks would have benefitted from bigger audiences to give more of a sense of occasion. Hesketh  was busy but   John Watson was talking to maybe 20 of us, and deserved more. 

Weird crossing the track from the Hilton to the Wing. Not many hares around these days...   

Edited by john aston, 04 December 2023 - 07:40.

I booked last year, and thought I would attend this year - so a night in the Silverstone Hilton, lead to a quick walk across to the Wing.

Sunday was not busy, I booked three sessions, and the average £22 price was only delivered by the topic. Around an hours discussion, with some wonderful rhetoric, was followed with 30 minutes to purchase and queue to have your book signed.

The attendance was very low, and the poor stand holders did not seem to be getting much business. I guess they will be the arbiters of success, will they book and pay for next year. 

Was any mention made of the  status of the long-pending Chinetti bio/N.A.R.T. history? 

I booked last year, and thought I would attend this year - so a night in the Silverstone Hilton, lead to a quick walk across to the Wing.

 

Sunday was not busy, I booked three sessions, and the average £22 price was only delivered by the topic. Around an hours discussion, with some wonderful rhetoric, was followed with 30 minutes to purchase and queue to have your book signed.

 

The attendance was very low, and the poor stand holders did not seem to be getting much business. I guess they will be the arbiters of success, will they book and pay for next year. 

I rather expected that might be the case.  I would have liked to have gone but I didn't much fancy the trek to Silverstone and once I added up the cost of a couple of sessions, plus entry, plus getting there and back it was on a par with the Revival or the Festival of Speed only with rather less to see and do.  I hope it will happen again but it really needs to be priced (i.e. cheaper!) to get a good number of visitors so that the sessions are full and the stand holders have people to sell to.

I found  the security folk welcoming and polite, maybe I was lucky? 

 

As an event I enjoyed it but unless you had booked a few talks (I booked 5 I think) there wasn't enough to occupy more than a morning , really. Venue was fine , but as said catering was so so and you had to search for somewhere to sit down . Car show in pit garage was quality more than quantity - Ferrari Superamerica was a first for me - Breadvan, ERA and sundry XKs of varying provenance . 

 

But the talks made it worthwhile - I did Hesketh (Lord H unrecognisably thin , but on entertaining form ) , Watson /Michaels . BRM panel (some nice acerbic comments  from Jackie Oliver) , Benetton(Damien Smith and Pat Symonds)  and Lee Mackenzie and Gary  Anderson (both excellent ) . 

 

The format needs improving - some talks I wanted to hear clashed with others I had booked and , well, it ain't cheap . That may have ensured a right crowd and no crowding vibe but the talks would have benefitted from bigger audiences to give more of a sense of occasion. Hesketh  was busy but   John Watson was talking to maybe 20 of us, and deserved more. 

 

Weird crossing the track from the Hilton to the Wing. Not many hares around these days...   

I pretty much agree with all of this, John. The security chaps seemed pleasant and polite, even the chap on the main gate who obviously had a well researched speech on how to find the hotel  The Porter Press staff were all charming and really helpful and overall the event had a pleasant, relaxed and friendly vibe.

Mark (son) and I booked the same sessions, bar the Bennetton one.  We booked the Italian Job talk, which was entertaining and also had a trip to the Silverstone Museum which we'd not been to before. The talks were enjoyable, but although the rest of it was interesting I don't think it was really worth the entry fee for the exhibition part alone. The costs of the talks were fair enough, I've paid that sort of money at other book festivals. 

The key to any future festivals will be the availability of "star" speakers, they really need people such as Jenson Button or Damon Hill to come along and talk. Some of the talks were a little desperate - I wouldn't pay to listen to the chief exec of Silverstone presenting his views on the future of the track or to hear a group of journalists discussing the best car film. I hope they do manage to keep it going, and I'd be happy to attend the next one depending on the programme.

I've just received an email from Porter Press thanking those who attended, this is probably the most revealing part:

"The core aspect of the Festival was the theatre sessions. Many said to me they wished they could have attended them all, and I agree 100%. Those I did attend were absolutely brilliant. As I said several times in my closing comments and thanks to the speakers, ‘This was exactly what I had in mind for this event’. 

The sessions were informative, great fun, revelationary and, sometimes, a tad controversial. Often our speakers took one behind the scenes and revealed the true story behind a car design, a race team or a driver’s success, or lack of it.

Many asked if we will be doing it again and make it an annual event. We honestly don’t know yet. We will be asking for feedback on venue, time of year, content, etc. Not surprisingly, we have learnt a lot. It is no secret we will need a major sponsor but let’s hope we can build the concept. We’d certainly love to. 

‘Thank you’ to all those who joined us."

I pretty much agree with all of this, John. The security chaps seemed pleasant and polite, even the chap on the main gate who obviously had a well researched speech on how to find the hotel The Porter Press staff were all charming and really helpful and overall the event had a pleasant, relaxed and friendly vibe.

Here is Motorsport Magazine's article on the event.

From the latest Porter Press email:

"Ideally we would like to hold the Motoring Literary & Art Festival again and are talking to two venues that are keen to host the event. I will update you as soon as possible. One thing is for sure: we will not be holding it in December again! Currently, September is our favoured month, ideally a week after Revival."

I didn't go last year on the basis of what I considered to have been a high cost. A shame, as I am sure I would have enjoyed it, and I do buy Porter Press products anyway.

I would consider going this year if the cost is less, and as long as the event doesn't move to London or south of there.