For our monthly Writing On Our Calendar feature, we bring you a round-up of literary events happening in Sydney and around NSW. Check out some of the wonderful writing events taking place this August! 

1 August: Poetry Editors Panel

Find out what editors are looking for, what the current literary landscape is like and what role editors have to play in the poetic ecology. David Stavanger (Solid Air & Admissions) will be joined by Nicole Smede, Claire Albrecht (The Suburban Review), Jacinta Le Plastrier (Australian Poetry) and Adaya Nash Hussein (Best of Australian Poems). Online via Zoom, entry by donation.

2 August: Ngatha Wangga (I Talk) / Nyinda Wangga (You Talk)

From the Latin word for “patchwork,” the cento (or collage poem) is a poetic form composed entirely of lines from poems by other poets. Join this online workshop on decolonising the cento with Red Room Poetry Fellow Charmaine Papertalk Green, in partnership with Bundanon Trust.

4 August: National Poetry Month Gala

This year’s gala hosted by Red Room Poetry will be held at the Australian Chamber Orchestra’s new venue beside Sydney Harbour Bridge and features some of Australia’s finest contemporary poets. Hosted by Benjamin Law, the night will also see comedians, actors and more reading contemporary Australian poems, as well as a musical performance by First Nations choir Mudjingaal Yangamba.

5&12 August: Getting Pitch Ready with Danielle Binks

Join literary agent and author Danielle Binks for this two-part workshop on refining your pitch and gaining insight into the current publishing industry. Online with Writers SA (check time zones when booking).

5-19 August: Poetry Month Showcases

For National Poetry Month, Red Room Poetry is hosting showcases around the country, platforming local spoken word talent. In NSW, there will be the ACT Showcase on 5 August, the Byron Showcase on 11 August at Byron Writers Festival, and the Wollongong Showcase on 19 August at the South Coast Writers Festival. There will also be an online showcase on 8 August to celebrate the release of their first retrospective anthology A Line in the Sand: 20 Years of Red Room Poetry, hosted by editor and Red Room director Tamryn Bennett.

8 August: AVANT GAGA

A monthly poetry reading series at the famous Sappho Books Cafe & Wine Bar in Glebe, this month’s event will feature poets Luke Beesley, Fatimah Asghar, Jane Gibian, ZHI, and Monique Lyle, plus an open mic section to close the event. Free to attend.

9-12 August: Embellishment

Voices of Women invited First Nations and diverse women across Australia and internationally to create their own monologues through community workshops, grassroots regional tours and an open international call out. Grab some great local food and experience a fast and furious rollercoaster of spoken story and a sound world of voice and solo saxophone in just under an hour. At KXT in Ultimo, NSW.

11-13 August: Byron Writers Festival

Byron Writers Festival 2023 invites you to step away from the everyday, immerse yourself in a world of ideas and stories, and let your imagination run wild. Themed ‘Wild Imagination’, the program features Grace Tame, Richard Fidler, Heather Rose, Tracey Spicer and many more.

12 August: Breaking Open the Sonnet with Anthony Joseph

Join TS Prize-winning poet Anthony Joseph (Sonnets for Albert) to explore the many different iterations and histories of the sonnet. Online workshop, attendance by donation.

15 August: Poetry Book Club

Hosted by poet and critic Felicity Plunkett who will be joined by the 2022 Prime Minister’s Literary Award for Poetry winner Andy Jackson, award-winning author and editor Ellen van Neerven, and Dr James Jiang editor of the Sydney Review of Books. Each of these special guests will bring along and discuss a recent poetry title of their choice, as well as diving into the forthcoming anthology A Line in the Sand: 20 Years of Red Room Poetry. Online, attendance by donation.

16-20 August: Canberra Writers Festival

As is the Canberra Writers Festival tradition, the driving theme is ‘Power Politics Passion’, and the festival aims to provide a space to explore these questions, and to celebrate the heft and craft of Australian storytellers — a joyful collision of art-makers, big thinkers, big dreamers and readers.

18-20 August: South Coast Writers Festival

Head to Wollongong on the South Coast of NSW for a weekend filled with captivating stories, thought-provoking discussions, and inspiring conversations. With over 20 sessions to choose from, the festival line-up features stellar award-winning authors, talented new voices, and acclaimed poets, broadcasters and thinkers.

19 August: Exploring the Eco-Poetic with Jacqueline Suskin

Join acclaimed poet and educator Jacqueline Suskin in this online workshop to explore the ways in which poetry can serve as an invitation and portal for people to learn about the natural world.

19&20 August: Mudgee Readers’ Festival

The Mudgee Readers’ Festival has been running for 13 years and prides itself on presenting dynamic, fun and thought-provoking events. Events include trivia, a long lunch, a zine launch and workshop, poetry reading, activities for youth, and many award-winning authors in conversation.

19-25 August: Children’s Book Week

Each year since 1945 the Children’s Book Council of Australia has brought children and books together across Australia through Children’s Book Week. During this time schools and public libraries spend one glorious week celebrating books and Australian children’s authors and illustrators. If you’re a parent, keep an eye out for activities at your local library or school.

22 August: Open Mic for Disabled Creatives

Co-hosted by Bramble editor Spencer Barberis and QLD Poetry’s Rae White with a special feature set by Robin M Eames, this free online event will be a fun relaxed night, and also an opportunity to socialise with other writers in the disability community. Come along and read a poem, or turn up and show support (free to attend).

24 August: Abandoning the Line with Chris Tse

In this online workshop with current New Zealand Poet Laureate Chris Tse, participants will analyse contemporary examples of prose poetry before writing their own prose poems. What can prose poetry offer to both writers and readers that other poetic forms can’t?

25-27 August: Festival of Playwrights

The Currency Press Festival of Playwrights brings playwrights out of their garrets and into the spotlight. The theme of this year’s Festival is Safe Spaces, Risky Ideas which will be explored through a mix of panels and one-on-one conversations.

31 August: The Speculative Poet with Sally Wen Mao

What can happen in a poem? Join visionary poet Sally Wen Mao for an online introductory workshop on developing the poetic voice of your speaker in wild and mysterious ways.

More from Writing NSW

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