TOURISM in the Southern Highlands is set to turn a new leaf thanks to an IMB grant that will put the local literary industry on the best seller’s list.

The building society’s community foundation last week announced funding of $25,000 towards the staging of the ‘Southern Highlands Festival of the Book’.

The inaugural festival and fair will be on April 27-28 next year to link in with World Book Day on April 23.

Festival of the Book is an initiative of the South Coast Writers Centre, Southern Highlands Booksellers Association (SHBA) and Wingecarribee Shire Council.

The event will promote Southern Highland publishers, authors, book restorers and illustrators.

It will also boost the region’s standing as one of the world’s foremost “BookTowns”, according to BookTown Australia convenor and SHBA secretary Paul McShane.

“The festival is another plank is establishing the Southern Highlands’ credentials as a member of the world BookTown community,” Mr McShane said.

“The festival will aim to celebrate all aspects of the art and craft of book publishing and production from writing and editing to illustration, papermaking, printing and bookbinding.”

Deputy Mayor Sara Murray congratulated the partner organisations on their grant and welcomed the council’s participation.

“I’m sure the wider community will also welcome this project and embrace this new festival as yet another interesting attraction for locals and visitors,” Cr Murray said.

Highlands’ booksellers and bibliophiles in March last year agreed to join to become a member of the world-renowned BookTown concept that was founded in 1961 by Richard Booth.

Booth started a booktown at Hay-on-Wye on the English and Welsh border and the village now boasts 40 bookshops and attracts more than two million visitors a year.

There are now 20 booktowns worldwide, with the Southern Highlands the first Australian region to officially embrace the idea.

Among one of Southern Highlands BookTown’s first projects was the launching of a booktrail guide in April.

The SHBA-produced colour brochure lists 16 different literary points of interest dotted throughout the district.

Mr McShane said promotion of the Highlands’ literary industry continues to gather momentum thanks to organisations like the IMB, the council and groups such as the Southern Highlands Business Chamber.