The University of Tasmania will hold an 11-day festival celebrating learning, connection and curiosity in April, showcasing local talent and ingenuity alongside guests from throughout Tasmania and overseas.

The Cradle Coast commUNIty Fest will take place at various venues along the north-west coast from today (Thursday) through to 13 April.

“Everyone will be welcomed on to our beautiful campus to join in cultural, interactive, and educational activities, all aimed at fostering connection, inspiring curiosity, and sparking conversations in our community,” said Associate Professor Sonya Stanford, who is the University’s Pro Vice-Chancellor (Cradle Coast).

“Our program really has something for everyone, whatever your age and stage of life. It’s opportunity to have fun while learning something new.”

The festival will be launched today with an In Conversation event with 2024 Booker Prize-winning author Samantha Harvey. Her book, Orbital – described by publisher Penguin as “Life on our planet as you’ve never seen it before” – was provided as a welcoming gift to all students who started at the University’s Cradle Coast campus this year.

Harvey will be joined by University of Tasmania creative writing lecturer (and author) Lucy Christopher, as well as other special guest readers from the Cradle Coast.

Other festival highlights are below and the full program can be found here.

  • Friday 4 April: A livestream of the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra performing Beethoven’s Triple Concerto, which will launch a TSO/University collaborative series titled Symphony By The Sea. Up-and-coming local high school musicians will perform before the livestream, which is being held at the Makers Technology and Innovation Hub
  • Friday 4 April: An online event with Jillian Formentin, Australian Engineer of the Year 2024-2025 and UTAS alumni, will lead a forum to discuss the role and future of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) in Tasmania
  • Tuesday 8 April: Celebrating with the 2025 Town and Gown Parade and University Graduation ceremony at the Paranaple Centre in Devonport
  • Thursday 10 April: Is Laughter the Best Medicine? An Island of Ideas public talk at the Makers Technology and Innovation Hub exploring the surprising impacts of humour on health in a unique mix of comedy and expert insights.
  • Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 April: Questacon Fascinating Science Exhibition – with the full set of exhibits at The Makers.
  • Learn salsa dancing, creative writing, sample food van eats, get yourself job ready, check that your tax is in order, play with robotics, understand cybersecurity. You can even learn to play the bag pipes or drums!

Most commUNIty Fest events will be held at the University’s Cradle Coast campus at West Park in Burnie, including in The Makers Technology and Innovation Hub. Other events will be held at Camp Clayton in Ulverstone, Devonport and online.