Lovers of literature rejoice!
The Brimbank Writers and Readers Festival is returning next month for its biggest event to date.
Thirty-four events will run over six days, from 12-17 March, featuring artists, cooks, gardeners, film makers, songwriters, book authors and a dating expert.
Brimbank mayor Virginia Tachos said the program offers a diversity of stories and perspectives that reflect the community.
“For 21 years, the Brimbank Writers and Readers Festival has played an important role encouraging writing talent in Brimbank and Melbourne’s western region. And to celebrate we are presenting the biggest festival to date with a huge line-up of creative talent,” Cr Tachos said.
The festival’s opening night will spotlight author Nam Le, winner of the Dylan Thomas Prize and the Prime Minister’s Literary Award for fiction and author of ‘The Boat’ and ‘36 Ways of Writing a Vietnamese Poem’.
Le will share stories about cultural heritage, family, and collective identity.
Author Andy Griffiths, who has sold more than 19 million books in over 35 countries and is renowned for his cheeky and irreverent humour, is also part of the line up.
Other festival highlights include Alita Brydon (‘Bad Dates of Melbourne’), comedian Nelly Thomas (‘The Single Life of Us’), authors Darryl Jones and Dave Witty, artists Callum Morton and Jen Berean, filmmakers Adrian Ortega, Kalu Oji, Kaede Miyamura and Goran Stolevski, and media professionals professor Andrea Carson, author and journalist Margaret Simons and ABC radio journalist Luke Siddham Dundon.
Other authors include Deborah Ong, Kate Mildenhall, Santilla Chingaipe, Aunty Fay Stewart-Muir, Andrea Rowe, Marguerita Stephens, Andrea Carson, Jen Berean, Darcy Green, Thomas Vowles, Jax Bulstrode and many more.
The festival also offers a range of workshops for participants looking for help to share their own stories.
Topics include, how to write picture books, self-publishing, reliable writing practice, writing for reels, and healing through poetry, among others.
Funded by Brimbank council and Victoria University, all events and activities are free to attend.
Details” brimbanklibraries.vic.gov.au/BWRF
