By John Byford
Making all the right connections
German author Margarete von Schwarzkopf at The Box
In September 2025, Skegness artist John Byford returned to Bad Gandersheim for Gandersheim Reads, a three-day literature festival in the birthplace of Germany’s first female poet, Roswitha.
A much-loved feature of the city, originally conceived by Byford as part of his Two Voices project, is the old telephone box - now a piece of artwork and a communication tool, transformed into a library and book exchange, making it a perfect fit for the festival. Directly across the road, the historic Skegness bench invites visitors to sit, pick a book, and enjoy a simple ritual celebrating the towns’ friendship.
The festival also marked the 10th anniversary of Byford’s Two Voices project, which has connected Skegness and Bad Gandersheim through art, photography, and conversation. The guest of honour, Margarete von Schwarzkopf, performed a special Sunday reading of Alfred Lord Tennyson, whose poem Two Voices shares a remarkable connection with Byford’s project—a serendipitous twist, as Tennyson was born in the same district where Byford lives.
What began as a modest artistic exchange ten years ago has grown into a lasting cultural bond—Two Voices continues to keep the connection alive between our two towns.
