Australia’s leading First Nations writers’ festival comes to Sydney for the first time, with a satellite event to be hosted by Writing NSW on Saturday 19 March 2022. The day will feature a mix of streamed sessions from the Melbourne festival as well as live activities with First Nations artists.
Blak & Bright First Nations Literary Festival is a celebration of First Nations stories and writers, bringing together the world’s oldest storytelling traditions in bold and innovative ways.
The Melbourne festival runs from 17 – 20 March and features over 70 exciting storytellers in a program of 27 events from oral stories to epic novels, from poems to monologues, from history to activism, from food to country.
The Sydney event at Writing NSW on Saturday 19 March will include a live stream of four sessions. ‘Sistas Are Doing It’ asks four Blak writers how they juggle writing within their busy lives, while ‘Yung Blak & Bold’ invites three young writers to talk about what issues they believe matter most. In ‘The Wright Stuff’, Alexis Wright will read from her award-winning oeuvre, and in ‘Big Blak Poetry Read’ six poets will read three of their best poems.
Live Sydney sessions will include a Gadla Warra (Fire Talk) facilitated by Rodney Graham Turner, offering the opportunity to gather, sit and talk about the discussions and performances streamed earlier in the day.
Festival Director, Jane Harrison said: “We are delighted to be partnering with Writing NSW to bring a capsule collection of Blak & Bright First National Literary Festival events along with exclusive live activities with First Nation Artists. We figure Blak stories are needed more urgently than ever, in the face of climate change, pandemics, Blak Lives Matter. We need access to connection, compassion and country through stories. Here’s to Blak words live.’’
All Sydney satellite sessions are free, though bookings are essential.
Book your spot at the Blak & Bright satellite event at Writing NSW here.
Go here for more information on the Melbourne festival.