TIM MARTAIN
The organisers of this year’s Tasmanian Writers and Readers Festival are keen to emphasise that the festival, held every two years in Hobart, is not a highbrow event intended only for the literary set.
Tasmanian Writers Centre director Chris Gallagher says the festival is designed to include writers and readers of all ages and abilities, with everything from writing masterclasses to children’s and family events. And with the theme “Other Worlds in Words”, there is a strong emphasis on social justice issues and how reading and writing can help people engage with them.
“The festival is all about bringing everybody together so these conversations can be had,” Gallagher says.
“At festivals around the country we are finding that people are increasingly wanting to engage with social justice issues. So while people are interested in stories, they are also interested in what is real and how they can have an impact on the world.”
One such social issue is Tasmania’s low literacy rates. “So it is important for us to ensure the festival really is accessible to and inclusive of everyone,” she says.
For the first time the festival will have a range of events aimed specifically at children and families, including “The World is Great and I am Small”, an interactive presentation for children aged 4-9, hosted by bestselling author Bradley Trevor Greive and children’s author Nicole Gill, and a drawing workshop with illustrator Christina Booth called “Let’s Draw Too Many Sheep”.
“And the word ‘readers’ in the festival’s name is important, because it is for readers of books as well, not just the writers,” Gallagher says. “Writers may do all the work but, without readers, those books wouldn’t exist. And we are celebrating all sorts of diverse cultures, oral storytelling and other ways of conveying stories as well.”
One of this festival’s coups is the attendance of Professor AC Grayling, who “will be talking about the big picture of what freedom looks like in the real world, hoping that will set the tone to help people feel empowered to have these conversations about big issues and topics”, Gallagher says.
Another speaker is feminist Clementine Ford. “She is a force to reckon with,” says Gallagher, “talking about strong women and the importance of women not just standing in the shadows but recognising their own strengths.”
Gallagher says the Tasmanian Writers and Readers Festival has built a solid reputation since it started six years ago and is now part of the national literary festival circuit.
“We get quite a lot of people from interstate coming along to this festival each year, which is wonderful,” she says. “The last festival, two years ago, was the first time it was held at Hadley’s Hotel and it was such a success we wanted to have it there again. “With so many events happening at the hotel and all the writers staying there, it is a great atmosphere in there for the duration of the festival.” The 2017 Tasmanian Writers and Readers Festival will be held at Hadley’s Orient Hotel from Thursday until Sunday. For more event listings, see Notebook p4. For full details, visit taswrf.org