2019 Brisbane Writers Festival has announced the 160+ internationally renowned writers and thinkers who will partake in four days of discussion and contemplation of the world’s biggest issues – climate, race, gender and digitisation.
In recognition of the UN Year of Indigenous Languages, the 2019 Festival will also explore the powerful ways in which Australia’s traditional custodians convey story. First Nations story tellers include Danzal Baker a.k.a Baker Boy, Tony Birch, Melissa Lucashenko, Uncle Jack Charles and Claire G. Coleman.
“The written word hasn’t always been the primary way to tell a story,” said Festival CEO and Artistic Director Zoe Pollock. “Indigenous Australians have been yarning, weaving, painting, singing and dancing the stories of this land for thousands of years and right up into our present day. At Brisbane Writers Festival this year we are privileged to present some of our most compelling and evocative writers and storytellers from our First Nations. Acknowledging difference and understanding how we can use stories to connect to one another is at the heart of this year’s program.”
“Our local reading and writing communities are engaged with what’s happening in the world. We live in challenging times and are facing big issues in both our inner and outer worlds. There are so many movements and forces that are reshaping the world at a rapid pace. We’re bringing these conversations to the Festival and inviting open dialogues around how to connect when the conversation is constantly changing.”
Now in its 57th year, the 2019 Brisbane Writers Festival will also see the return of the immersive and inspiring Angel’s Palace venue experience, and a special collaboration with iconic Brisbane designer Anna Spiro for Tirra Lirra by the River. First featured at Brisbane Writers Festival in 2017, Angel’s Palace is a 7.5 metre dome decorated with original artwork by acclaimed Brisbane artist Gordon Hookey.
The Festival is also proud to showcase the work of local and Australian authors, including audience favourites Benjamin Law (The Family Law), Clementine Ford (Boys Will be Boys), Melissa Lucashenko (Too Much Lip), Ashley Hay (One Hundred Small Lessons), John Marsden (So Much to Tell You and Tomorrow, When The War Began), Jane Caro (Accidental Feminists), Richard Glover (The Land Before Avocado) and Rosalie Ham (The Dressmaker).
For those aspiring and established writers there is also plenty on offer. Learn the art of historical fiction and archival research with Ann Weisgarber, craft a daring and genre breaking novel with Jasper Fforde, create compelling YA characters with Lili Wilkinson and much more. “It’s an enormous privilege to bring such a diverse program of thinkers and writers to Brisbane each year. I hope that our local reading and writing communities will come out in force to be part of the big conversations on offer and support a culture embracing literacy and difference in our state,” Pollock said. “This is an incredible opportunity to hear from the people with nuanced insight into the fast-changing world that we all share. I invite you to join us and have your say.”
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