The Bookville Festival is an initiative of the Kilkenny Arts Office and the Kilkenny Library Service. The festival is for children and families and aims to celebrate books, writing, animation, illustration, comedy and storytelling to inspire children to become critical thinkers.

For 2020 the Bookville Festival, normally consisting of live events in libraries across Kilkenny city and county, was re-imagined into Bookville in a book. Bookville in a book is an activity book based on 12 contemporary children’s authors and illustrators from Ireland and the UK. The book is designed for primary school children and is based around the current national primary school curriculum. Activities will be designed so that they could be carried out by children working in a classroom setting, in groups or individually, as well as children at home.

10,000 books will be printed which will be distributed to all 8 libraries in Kilkenny City and County, every primary school in the county and several library partner schools outside the county. The entire activity book will also available on the Bookville website and can be accessed, shared or downloaded free at any time.

Two video art workshops will also be developed employing a local artist; shadow puppets and Bookville bookmark. Designed for children to make either in the home or school setting, the workshops require materials and equipment that are widely available. The workshops will be available free on the Bookville website

Please note that the details of events listed above are provided by the relevant Local Authorities.