Gijs Wilbrink (1984) is the new editor-in-chief of ILFU's online platform. Last April, the literature festival launched a new online medium for literary fiction in line with current events. At least 1,000 members were needed to expand the platform. Over 1,200 have since joined.
Gijs Wilbrink worked for many years as tech lead at various web design and development agencies and is founder of Friend of the Show, the largest independent podcast platform in the Netherlands. The literary world is no stranger to him either: he has already received a C.C.S. Cronestipendium for writing his debut novel The Beasts, which was published late last year. The book received rave reviews.
ILFU aims to give fiction ample space with its annual festival and online platform. ILFU director Michaël Stoker: "The attack on Salman Rushdie and the threat to Pim Lammers indicate once again that it is necessary. There is a growing group of people who have difficulty recognising fiction and do not see the value of it. We want to speak out against it on the platform. After all, we think fiction is essential for a democratic society. In Gijs, we have found the ideal editor-in-chief to further develop the platform."
Besides income from 1,200 members, the online platform received financial contributions from the Culture Innovation Fund, Fund21 and culture counter DigitAll. Operational costs are paid with external funding, member contributions are spent entirely on author fees. Since its launch, 240 contributions have been published by Manon Uphoff, Lisa Weeda, Ilya Kaminski, Louise Glück, Marek Šindelka, Joost Oomen and Philip Huff, among others. The stories were read or listened to 275,000 times.
Gijs Wilbrink: "I am proud to join the ILFU team, and look forward to dedicating myself daily to urgent literary fiction. Dutch literature is blessed with incredible richness and polyphony - voices that deserve to be heard by a large audience. Preferably as loudly as possible."
Watch the report with Gijs Wilbrink in Brommer at Sea here.
This year, the platform hopes to reach two thousand members. New members can apply at ilfu.com. The next ILFU Festival will take place from 22 September to 7 October. On 19 March, there will be a special ILFU Book Talk with Margaret Atwood.
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