Cliveden Literary Festival 2024

Cliveden Literary Festival 2024 saw us return to Cliveden House to deliver a scenic stage set for one of the UK’s best-known literary weekends. Held across two days in September, the festival brings together leading writers, historians, broadcasters and public figures, with the 2024 programme featuring names including Salman Rushdie, Ian McEwan, Rachel Weisz and Emily Maitlis.

For this year’s build, we created a five-window set design using white-backed canvas panels, lit from behind to give the impression of tall windows looking out across the grounds. The interview stage was built at 600mm high to improve sightlines across the room, with a white felt fascia to keep the finish clean and consistent. We also introduced custom-built white gloss handrails for the stage steps, adding a more refined, residential detail that suited both the venue and the tone of the festival.

The result was another clean, high-end finish that sat perfectly within the space and worked beautifully on stage throughout the weekend. It is always a pleasure to return to Cliveden for a festival of this profile, and to build a set that feels both considered and completely at home in such a well-known setting.