“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” Illustrator to Speak at Rochdale Literature & Ideas Festival

Located in a little town not far from Manchester in the United Kingdom, Rochdale Literature & Ideas Festival is a hub for creativity. This year, the eight-day event will take place in October, and among the scheduled attendees is Olivia Lomenech Gill, the award-winning illustrator of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.

Olivia Lomenech Gill has earned a number of art industry successes. Her work emphasizes a sense of imagination and innovation, and she specializes in drawing living creatures including children, animals, and fantastic beasts. Outside of her Harry Potter work, Gill was the illustrator for Clare and Michael Morpurgo’s Where My Wellies Take Me, which was short-listed for the 2014 Kate Greenaway Medal.

At October’s Rochdale Literature & Ideas Festival, Gill will be talking about her artistic processes and the work that went into bringing magical creatures to life. Gill will appear alongside a number of other creators, including authors Harry Heape and Hannah Lee; author, blogger, and activist Erin Ekins; and author, columnist, and poet Milly Johnson.

Events at Rochdale Literature & Ideas Festival will include drama, comedy, poetry, visual arts, and children’s shows. There will also be a “Generation Z” program available for attendees between the ages of 14 and 25. Councillor Janet Emsley, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods, Community, and Culture at Rochdale Borough Council, commented on the festival’s value:

We have another superb line-up [sic] this year. Amazing writers, thinkers, artists and much-loved personalities will be coming to join us in Rochdale this October. Our new festival director Fiona Brown has been working hard to bring together a diverse and varied programme.

This year’s Rochdale Literature & Ideas Festival will pose a fantastic opportunity for budding witches, wizards, and creators to celebrate literature and art. The festival will run from Monday, October 14 to Monday, October 21.