04/07/2025
Our reflections on 21 fabulous years delivering incredible events takes us to 2005 today... when we were asked to produce the prestigious Book Awards 📖
This literary prize, established in 1971, was a collection of literary awards that were designed to “encourage, promote and celebrate some of the most enjoyable and best books published each year”. It was unique in that it awarded winners in several categories - Novel, First Novel, Biography, Poetry, and Children’s Book - and an esteemed panel of judges then chose the overall Book of the Year from those 5 categories.
The awards provided an opportunity for those occasionally under represented categories like poetry and biography to have their moment in the spotlight and the 2005 Book of the Year was indeed a biography - Matisse the Master : The Conquest of Colour 1909-1954 by Hilary Spurling.
We were privileged to work with Anna Glover and the Book Awards Director, Bud McLintock, who championed the importance of robust judging processes, the value of an Advisory Panel and always leading with integrity. Values imperative to a successful awards programme and undoubtedly part of the reason these awards stood the test of time.
The event took place at in London and was also our first high profile event with the great and the good of the literary and media worlds in attendance… AND we made it into OK! Magazine with a double page spread 😉
It turned out to be our first and last Whitbread Book Awards, as the mantle was then passed to the Whitbread-owned company, who became custodians of the prize and it became the Costa Book Awards - but that’s a story for another time... ☕
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🙌We are Goose. Proud to create outstanding live events worldwide.
🤝We believe in the power of teamwork to deliver unique experiences that
engage, inspire, and enrich... without costing the Earth.