THIS weekend, creative minds and storytellers will take to View Street and surrounds for this year\u2019s Bendigo Writers\u2019 Festival.<\/p>\n
Event director Rosemary Sorensen has once again put together a program to savour, with big names Lisa Wilkinson, Elizabeth Gilbert and Norman Swan joined by veteran writers like Matthew Evans and Jon Faine, and new authors like Brandan Jack and Vanessa Len.<\/p>\n
Over Friday, Saturday and Sunday a range of sessions will be held at premier venues such as the Ulumbarra and Capital theatres and Bendigo Bank Theatre, supported by the La Trobe Arts Institute and Bendigo Library.<\/p>\n
Ms Sorensen said striking a balance between different writers and topics was the most important part of organising the program, especially so close to a Federal election.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think the balance is good and that\u2019s why people are responding,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve tried not to overdo the serious topic stuff, I had in the back of my mind we\u2019ll have a of media about the politics and the election.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need to, not ignore it, but have a way for people to move ahead of it.\u201d<\/p>\n
This year\u2019s theme is \u2018flourish\u2019, which Ms Sorensen said is a contrast to last year\u2019s theme \u2018strewth\u2019, with the idea of flourishing applicable to both writers and the region as it bounces back from the COVID-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n
For some guests, a writers\u2019 festival is not a usual occasion and Ms Sorensen said Bendigo provides the perfect setting for the event.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe wonderful thing about Bendigo is they can enjoy themselves,\u201d she said. \u201cWe\u2019ve got this atmosphere and you can see other writers.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is the difference between a regional festival and a big city festival; you get to see the other writers.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou see people so relaxed and comfortable; we\u2019ve got a very good reputation for that because we\u2019ve got a great city for it.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
THIS weekend, creative minds and storytellers will take to View Street and surrounds for this year\u2019s Bendigo Writers\u2019 Festival. Event director Rosemary Sorensen has once again put together a program to savour, with big names Lisa Wilkinson, Elizabeth Gilbert and Norman Swan joined by veteran writers like Matthew Evans and Jon Faine, and new authors […]<\/p>\n