“Living eulogies”, launches and poetic performances
Australia’s largest regional writers festival embraces the theatrical with a series of evening feature events that blend literature with music, entertaining talks and speeches, and poetry accompanied by music.
When it’s better off said
If you’ve wondered what keeps writers up at night, about what could have been, or wished they’d said something differently, ‘Better Off Said: Eulogies for the Living and Dead’ is for you. A diverse lineup of festival artists including NSW Premier’s Book of the Year Award-winner Ali Cobby Eckermann, actor and memoirist William McInnes, Midnight Oil’s Jim Moginie, comedian Steph Tisdell and Georgian novelist Leo Vardiashvili will speak to the phrase “The words I wish I’d said” and deliver a living eulogy to someone or something still of this Earth.
Electrifying poets
Be ignited and inspired by a powerful lineup of poets and performers from around the world. From stories of culture and identity, politics and activism, to relationships and desire, be immersed in rhythm and language with festival stars Jazz Money, Nam Le, Tayi Tibble (NZ), Meena Kandasamy (India), Nicole Smede, Mitch King, and winners from the Poets Out Loud Slam and Australian Poetry Slam heats.
Book launches
In two free book launches at the A&I Hall, sociologist Rebecca Huntley will launch her new memoir Sassafras about treating post-traumatic stress disorder with MDMA, and journalist Royce Kurmelovs will launch his investigation into the Australian fossil fuel industry in Slick. At new festival stage, the Coolamon, Byron local Stephen Wyatt will launch Rainforest Warriors about the environmental fight to save the Byron hinterland in the 1970s.
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