Tasmanian Writers and Readers Festival 11 – 13 September 2015

Tickets on sale: Monday 3 August 2015

Early-bird sales have been tracking well and we are now ready to announce the rest of the program for the 2015 Tasmanian Writers and Readers Festival.

The weekend kicks off on Friday morning with masterclasses hosted by Cate Kennedy, Stephanie Bishop and Brent MacLaine.

The festival will then be officially opened at 5.30pm with an opening address from Posie Graeme-Evans and poetry from Jim Everett. After this the shortlist for the Tasmanian Premier Prizes will be announced.

Following on from the opening address are Don Watson in conversation with Heather Rose and ‘Place and Imagination’ featuring Cate Kennedy, Stephanie Bishop and Russell Kelly then it’s on to the Festival Club for Silver Words.

Tickets will be on sale from Monday 3 August 2015 at www.taswriters.org/twrf

SATURDAY SESSIONS

‘Art in the Ice’ featuring Robyn Mundy, Favel Parrett and Jane McCredie.

Don Watson, Jane Caro, Julian Burnside exploring words with Jeff Malpas in ‘One for the word nerds’.

Tasmanian novelist, Amanda Lohrey in conversation with broadcaster and journalist, Caroline Baum.

‘New Black Voices’ featuring Jane Harrison and Terry Whitebeach.

‘Smoking Guns and Dead Leads’, a session on crime-writing with Michael Robotham, David Owen, Tansy Rayner Roberts and Polly McGee.

‘Justice through Courage’, a session on bravery with Rodney Croome, Bob Brown, Jane Caro and Jeff Malpas.

‘Painting with Words – How to Write a Career’ with Posie Graeme-Evans and Ann Turner.

‘Our Heart is her Heart’ – Carmel Bird in conversation with Danielle Wood.

‘Poetry in Motion’ featuring poets, Omar Musa, Sarah Holland-Batt, Brent MacLaine and Cameron Hindrum.

Robert Dessaix in conversation with Caroline Baum.

The early evening sees the announcement of the winners of both the Gwen Harwood Poetry Prize and Geoff Dean Short Story Prize, announced by Sarah Holland-Batt and Caroline Dean.

Then it’s on whisky stories and tasting with John Kudelka, whisky historian Bernard Lloyd and founder of Tasmanian Whisky Tours, Brett Steel and a session with Tasmania’s emerging writers titled ‘Tasmania – a land of dregs, bogans and third generational morons’ and chaired by Rachel Edwards.

These two fabulous sessions warm us up for an evening of public story telling in ‘Now Hear This’ with Melanie Tait.

To conclude Saturday evening, the Festival Club will open once again with more guests, providing an entertaining finale to an action-packed day.

SUNDAY SESSIONS

International crime-writer, Michael Robotham in conversation with Caroline Baum.

‘Writing the Unspeakable’ with Antonia Hayes, Stephanie Bishop and Peter Timms.

Conversations with Richard Fidler.

‘An Inkpot of Fate’ with Christopher Downes, Sarah Firth and Joshua Santospirito.

‘Young Adult? Yes Please’ with Kathryn Lomer, Kate Gordon, Jane Harrison and Melanie Tait.

‘The Chosen Word Can Change Everything’ with Jane Caro, Don Watson and Julian Burnside, chaired by James Dryburgh.

Women of Letters co-curated by Marieke Hardy, Michaela McGuire, with Favel Parrett, Pip Stafford, Cassy O’Connor, Claire Sullivan, Heather Rose and Kirsha Kaechele.

‘My Brilliant Career: A Life in Food’ with Helen Hayward, and celebrated guests including Matthew Evans and Christina Guidici.

‘Short Sharp Shreds’ with Tasmanian writers, Carmel Bird, Adam Ouston, Robbie Arnott and Danielle Wood.

‘Changing Places’ – drawing the Festival themes to a conclusion – closing address by Bob Brown.

Tasmanian Writers and Readers Festival
11 – 13 September 2015
Hadley’s Orient Hotel, 34 Murray St, Hobart

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