Why Writers Festivals?
Description
Writers festivals have had a bit of a reckoning in the last 12 months. So there's no time like the present to contemplate their value and potential. Bebe Oliver, Prof. Clare Wright and Daniel James come together to reflect on the turbulent waters writers festivals have been in, taking this opportunity to re-evaluate how they can best move forward.
IMPORTANT BOOKING INFORMATION
Address: West Footscray Library, 539 Barkly St, West Footscray, VIC 3012
Please arrive 10 minutes early
Transport
Train: West Footscray station (850m), Footscray station (1.8km), Tottenham (1.9 km)
Bus: Route 220 stops nearby
Bike: Bike parking outside the library at 539 Barkly St
Taxi/Rideshare: Can drop off directly in front
Car: Street parking in the area, and there is a carpark next to the post office at 528 Barkly St
This venue is fully accessible by wheelchair via the main entry.
Accessible parking is available, and the venue has accessible toilet facilities.
A quiet space may be accessed upon request.
Carer Tickets
A support person accompanying a person with disability is entitled to free entry.
Please select one Carer / Support Person – Free ticket with the purchase of a paid ticket. A valid Victorian Carer Card or Australian Companion Card must be presented at entry.
One free support ticket per eligible attendee.
We’re committed to creating an inclusive experience for everyone. Please let us know any accessibility needs when registering for this event or send us a message.
Lineup
Bebe Oliver
Bebe Oliver is a Bardi Jawi award-winning author, poet and illustrator. A leading advocate for Aboriginal advancement and self-determination, he is deeply committed to the empowerment and visibility of First Nations creators. Bebe is the Artistic Director and CEO of Blak & Bright, and the Deputy Chair of Magabala Books. His highly celebrated and widely published work explores love, loss, identity, the intersection of Blak and gay existence, and the rich tapestry of place and Country, making him a compelling and transformative voice in contemporary literature. Bebe’s latest book, if this is the end, is regarded as a fearless and honest exploration of identity, and “a queer Blak classic”.
Professor Clare Wright OAM
Professor Clare Wright OAM is an award-winning historian, author, broadcaster, podcaster and public commentator who has worked in politics, academia and the media. Clare is currently Professor of History and Professor of Public Engagement at La Trobe University and Chair of the National Museum of Australia Council. She is the author of five works of history, including the best-selling The Forgotten Rebels of Eureka (winner of the 2014 Stella Prize) and You Daughters of Freedom . Her latest book, and the final instalment in her Democracy Trilogy, is the highly acclaimed Näku Dhäruk: The Bark Petitions which won the Australian Political Book of the Year, Queensland Literary Award for Non-Fiction and NT History Book Award and was shortlisted for a Walkley Award, the Prime Minister’s Literary Awards, Victorian Premiers Literary Awards, Age Book of the Year Awards and ABIA Awards, and was longlisted for the NIB Literary Award. Clare has written and presented history documentaries for ABC TV and is Associate Producer of the feature film One Mind One Heart, written/directed by Larissa Behrendt, which won the NSW Digital History Award. She also hosts the ABC Radio National history podcast, Shooting the Past, co-hosts the La Trobe University podcast Archive Fever (with Yves Rees) and is Executive Producer of the internationally award-winning Hey History!, the first Australian history podcast designed for use in the classroom. In 2020, Clare was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia in the Australia Day Honours list for ‘services to literature and to historical research’. Clare is a past Board Director of the Wheeler Centre for Books, Writing and Ideas, Co-Curator of Bendigo Writers Festival from 2022-25 and a member of the Independent Advisory Panel for the Albanese government’s National Cultural Policy, Revive, for which she co-wrote the Vision Statement (with Christos Tsiolkas).
Daniel James
Daniel is a Yorta Yorta man Melbourne based writer and broadcaster. He is the winner of the 2018 Horne Prize for his essay Ten More Days. He also hosts The Mission on 3RRR FM. Daniel is the co-host of the 7am Podcast for Solstice media and is a contributor to the IndigenousX, SBS, Crikey, the Age/Sydney Morning Herald, the Guardian. Daniel’s work explores notions of empathy, intergenerational trauma, hidden history and the political landscape that continues to shape the lives of Aboriginal people across the country. He is currently working on his first book with Affirm Press and was creative lead for Yoorrook Justice Commission’s report Truth Be Told and has recently been assisting the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria with the Treaty process. He co-administers The Spencer Street End, with friend Jacinta Parsons.
Tickets for good, not greed Humanitix dedicates 100% of profits from booking fees to charity
