12/09/2023
Endings are not easy. In life, we rarely get to choose them. But I feel that now - after fifteen amazing years and over a hundred fabulous events with hundreds of incredible writers and a pioneering podcast and a spin-off TV show - is the right time to say: The End.
And, most importantly, thank you.
You’ve been the life and soul of every party, since our very first Salon, at Shoreditch House in 2008.
We’ve popped up all around the world from Sydney to São Paulo, from Motherwell to Moscow, with iconic partners including Hendrick's Gin, the British Council and the Women’s Prize. We’ve appeared on stages large and small and, once, memorably, in a field.
You’ve always been there listening and thinking. You are the very best readers. And some of you aren’t bad at writing either.
Hosting Salon for fifteen years has been the purest joy. It’s made me laugh and cry and often a messy combination. It has enriched my reading immeasurably and given me a writing life I could never have imagined. But my own books stubbornly refuse to write themselves. I’ve got a play on the way and a novel to finish then a memoir to start - I’m delighted to being published by Canongate!
At this point in my life, I need to do what every single of one our guest writers has done and make time for my own writing. I hope you get the time you need and deserve for your own creativity, whatever form it takes.
Salon invigorated book events based on that old - but still revolutionary - idea of intimacy, of a community gathered around a story in a room, if only for one night. We could keep going but I don’t want to keep growing – I never set out to run a business: I prefer stories to spreadsheets (shocking, I know). And it’s time to make space for other voices, other rooms.
I believe that everybody has a story and that stories are for everybody. We’ve featured hundreds of world firsts. Our podcast has listeners on every continent, thanks to British Airways flying our podcast. I’ve always admired and adored LitHub and was thrilled when they took our podcast to the USA.
Back in 2008 it was just me. Now, Salon is a team of eight great people - they are behind all the stuff you enjoy. I’m so grateful to them all, past and present. And to Vanessa Xuereb at Soho House for our first chance. Thank you to each and every team member past and present - especially Kirsty Milner and Rosie Chipping. Thank you: Amy Very for our world-class website, Bakul Patki for media-wrangling and Daisy Honeybunn for taking pictures I’ll treasure.
And, to each and every one of the hundreds of writers who have trusted me with their words—thank you, thank you.
I’ll still be on your radio and TV. If you want to tell me to get on with writing the books I promised, you can sign up for my personal newsletter.
And I'll be hosting a special Live on Fri at 7pm GMT to share memories and answer questions.
The End (for now). With love and thanks.
Your Salonnière,
Damian Barr.
