New Motoring Literary & Art Festival to launch at Silverstone
Star drivers to join artists and authors for the debut Motoring Literary & Art Festival in 2023
The festival is the idea of publisher Philip Porter, left. Lord Hesketh will also be in attendance
Gary Harman
December is officially a dry month for motoring fans. Formula 1 is finished, endurance racing run out and the Formula Ford Festival and Walter Hayes Trophy are both consigned to the record books for another season. Plus, it’s too damp and cold to wash the car or get the classic out of the shed, so what is there to do?
Well, thanks to prominent publisher Philip Porter the motoring world now has a brand-new attraction in the form of the Motoring Literary & Art Festival, which Motor Sport is proud to be backing as media partner to the event.
Held at the impressive Silverstone Wing across December 2-3, the festival will bring together many of the world’s leading motoring writers, publishers, artists and specialists for one big celebration of car culture. Together with book and art exhibitions there will also be automobilia stalls and magazine attractions (that’ll be us, alongside other publications), plus special guest speakers, seminars, sales and even a small classic car collection featuring some stellar machinery.
See Mike Wilds at Silverstone on Sunday, December 3
Nick Caro
Porter has raided his little black book to get some special cars to the event, including the famed Ferrari 250 GT SWB ‘Breadvan’, 9600 HP – the world’s oldest example of an E-type Jaguar – and a BRM P15 V16 Formula 1 project of 1950-53.
The event is just as much about the people of the industry as the cars it creates, and there’s a huge line-up of special guests confirmed to speak. With talks held across three theatres over each day, take your pick from star drivers such as John Watson, Karun Chandhok, Mike Wilds and Andy Wallace, personalities such as Lord Hesketh, Peter Stevens, Tony Southgate, Ian Callum, Andy Palmer and Sir John Egan (of Jaguar fame), or even take in a private screening of 2002 documentary Stewart, starring Sir Jackie.
Porter said: “This is an idea I had in principle about three years ago, but the pandemic put everything on hold. Now we are raring to go and I hope this will build and build as a significant annual event on the motoring calendar. We are aiming to have content to appeal to a wide spread of motoring enthusiasts.”
Tickets start at £18; some talks cost extra. Go to motorlitartfest.co.uk
