'Latitude's essence remains 20 years on' - founder

Melvin Benn set up the Latitude Festival 20 years ago

The founder and director of the Latitude Festival said its essence had remained the same for two decades.

Melvin Benn was speaking as the event, first held in 2006, approaches its 20th anniversary.

Headliners for 2026 announced on Monday include Lewis Capaldi, David Byrne and Teddy Swims.

Benn said Latitude, held at Henham Park near Southwold in Suffolk, had not changed "that much" over the years and he hoped it would continue for another 20.

Henham Park has been home to the Latitude Festival - and its pink sheep - since it started in 2006

Benn told BBC Radio Suffolk he was "breaking ground" when he created a festival featuring "literature, poetry, music, the arts, dance, cinema and theatre".

"Nobody had really done that before... the festival has just grown but it hasn't really changed in that sense," he said.

"We had a relatively small amount of people there that first year, I think only 4,500 was our biggest attendance on any particular day, and now of course we're 40,000 people [per day].

"But the essence and direction hasn't gone."

The 2006 festival's biggest on-the-day attendance was about 4,500

Back in 2006, Latitude's bill featured Snow Patrol, Paolo Nutini, Josie Long, Sean Lock, Luke Wright and Inua Ellams.

The 2026 line up includes Wet Leg, Tom Grennan and Billy Ocean, with "a lot more to add", said Benn.

For its anniversary, Latitude is asking for votes in 20 categories covering the last 20 years.

They include: most important poet, most important TV moment, and most important author.

"I really wanted to do [what] probably only Latitude and/or Glastonbury can do: to reflect on the last 20 years of society, the things that have been important to us and the things that have changed our lives," Benn added.

"I think that is pretty unique to Latitude and I think it's a great statement that the audience and the festival will want to be part of."