FT Weekend is festival’s new title partner

Events on sale for 2014 include Booker winner Eleanor Catton

Oxford Literary Festival is delighted to announce that the FT Weekend is to be the title partner of this year's event. The festival, now in its 18th year, will be known as FT Weekend Oxford Literary Festival. Among the big names confirmed for this year already are 2013 Man Booker winner Eleanor Catton, pictured right, thriller writer Robert Harris and creator of The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency Alexander McCall-Smith. Other big names confirmed are the philosopher A C Grayling, former minister Jonathan Aitken, Born Free actress Virginia McKenna and children and young adult writers Lauren Child, Robert Muchamore and Sophie McKenzie. This year's festival takes place between Saturday, March 22, and Sunday, March 30. Tickets are now available online through this website. A new booking system is in development that will allow the festival to operate as a 'ticketless' event. A walk-in box office and telephone booking will open in early January. The 2014 festival will also see the return of a marquee, situated in a new location next to the Sheldonian Theatre. The marquee is sponsored by Blackwell's Bookshop and will contain the festival bookshop, a cafe and the festival box office. Festival director Sally Dunsmore said: “The festival has gone from strength to strength over the last few years. Over 150 events are already confirmed for 2014, including award-winning writers, some of the nation’s favourite authors, leading politicians, historians and journalists. "The festival’s existing partners – the University of Oxford, the BBC and HSBC – are joined by another great world-class brand. The FT is one of the world's most distinguished and authoritative newspapers, and the new partnership with FT Weekend will enable us to extend our reach and introduce our programme to new audiences, both in the UK and around the world.”