Brisbane and Sydney Writers’ Festivals
May 5, 2022
Brisbane Writers Festival (BWF) celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2022! If you missed the in-person festival, which finished on 8 May, you can engage with their online series.
Copyright Agency’s Cultural Fund is again supporting the online Author/Editor Series and a new Author-Illustrator Series (together with Booktopia).
The successful ten-part Author/Editor series is a partnership with the Institute of Professional Editors Limited (IPEd). Episodes are released monthly, and so far we have heard from:
- Michelle Law and Allison Hiew (February)
- Larissa Behrendt, Jacqueline Blanchard & Madonna Duffy (March)
- Jazz Money & Ellen van Neerven (April)
On Thursday 12 May Scott Ludlam, Chris Feik and Kirstie Innes-Will will discuss writing and editing political non-fiction.
Author-Illustrator is a new, free online series supported by the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators Australia East & New Zealand (SCBWI). Series host Sarah Davis will talk to emerging and established artists who have written and illustrated their own books, diving into the creative processes that bring their work to life.
Episodes will be released monthly until November, featuring new and familiar names including Alison Lester, Dub Leffler and Sami Bayly. Next up is Gavin Bishop on Thursday 26 May.
BWF will be closely followed by Sydney Writers’ Festival at Carriageworks from 16–22 May. Copyright Agency’s Cultural Fund is supporting three of the Your Favourites’ Favourites sessions:
- Hannah Kent & SJ Norman (10am Friday 20 May) Bestselling novelist Hannah Kent (Devotion) speaks with SJ Norman about Permafrost, their debut collection of short fiction that updates and queers the gothic and romantic literary traditions.
- Maxine Beneba Clarke & Amani Haydar (10am Saturday 21 May) Prize-winning writer Maxine Beneba Clarke (How Decent Folk Behave) speaks with Amani Haydar about her debut, the magnificent and devastating memoir The Mother Wound.
- Trent Dalton & David Williamson (4pm Sunday 22 May) Bestselling writer Trent Dalton (Love Stories) shares the stage with legendary playwright David Williamson to discuss David’s revealing and long-awaited memoir Home Truths.
Festivalgoers should also keep an eye out for the short reel showcasing our support to writers over the last few years, which will be playing before a few events across the festival!