New month, new season and too many new events to handle. There’s something for everyone, no matter where in NSW you’re located. Here’s our September round up!
1-4 September: The Festival of a Thousand Stories
The Festival of a Thousand Stories is a celebration of storytelling, art, poetry and music on the banks of the Darling River at Bourke. The festival showcases Bourke’s literary past as the inspiration of some of Australia’s earliest poets alongside its present and future as a modern outback that continues to drive creative endeavours. Various locations in Bourke and various event times. More information available here.
2 September: Where the lost things go Australian launch
Irish-Australian poet (and Centre member) Anne Casey’s works have been described as monumental, mysterious [and] prodigious’. Join her for the Australian launch of her debut poetry collection ‘where the lost things go’ with special guest, the Consul General of Ireland, and introduction by Australian artist, Jane Theau. Gallery 307, Northbridge, 7pm. All welcome.
2 September: The Scared Book launch
Debra Tidball’s new book is too scared to tell its story! Kids are encouraged to rub its goosebumps away and fan away the smells left by gross monsters in this gorgeous interactive book. Launching at 2pm at The Children’s Bookshop, Beecroft. RSVP on Facebook.
2-3 September: BAD: Sydney Crime Writers Festival
The inaugural BAD: Sydney Crime Writers Festival is a celebration and exploration of all things crime-writing related. The two day program features a diverse cross-section of panelists from across the crime genre spectrum. Justice & Police Museum, 10am-5pm. More information available here.
3 September: Poetry Workshop with Bankstown Poetry Slam
BYO pen and paper for Bankstown Poetry Slam’s monthly workshop. The intimate setting is designed to build and extend your skills in both writing and performance. No prior experience necessary, all ages welcome. Bankstown Arts Centre, 9:30am-12:30pm. Head on over here for more information.
3 September: 20 Years of the Vagina Monologues
Written two decades ago, Eve Ensler’s The Vagina Monologues radicalised how women think about their bodies. The playwright and activist is still calling for a revolution all this time later. This event is part of the Antidote Festival at the Sydney Opera House and will be chaired by Van Badham. Sydney Opera House, 2pm. Tickets available here.
5 September: Julian Burnside in conversation with Bret Walker SC
Barrister Julian Burnside hit the big time way back in 2013 for ardently defending asylum seeks. The human rights advocate, who continues to practise law, is celebrating the release of his new non-fiction volume Watching Out – a book about the legal system and its operation. Gleebooks, Glebe, 6:30pm. Tickets available here.
5 September: Celebrating 20 years of the NYWF & 2017 Program Launch Sydney
The National Young Writers’ Festival is exiting its teen years and turning 20! Whilst the Festival itself isn’t starting until the end of September, that doesn’t mean celebrations for the event can’t begin earlier. Join the co-directors for a stroll down memory lane, and for a toast and debrief on what’s to come, including the launch of the 2017 Program. Cake Wines Cellar Door, Redfern, 6pm. Free but registrations essential.
6 September: Indigenous Literacy Day
Indigenous Literacy Day is a national celebration of Indigenous culture, stories, language and literacy. Through activities on the day, the disadvantages experienced in remote communities are spotlighted, encouraging the rest of Australia to raise funds and advocate for more equal access to literacy resources for remote communities.
6 September: Rich People Problems with Kevin Kwan at Camperdown Commons
Join author Kevin Kwan for a talk and signing about his most recent release, Rich People Problems. The final book in the Crazy Rich Asians series, the talk will appropriately be followed by an optional dinner with the author, catered by Acre eatery. Camperdown Commons, 6:30pm. Tickets available here.
8-10 September: St. Albans Writers’ Festival
This intimate festival is set in the small village of St. Albans, located in the Hawkesbury region. A unique experience, the festival is as much about the words it celebrates as it is the one of a kind ambience of St. Albans. The festival program is genre and medium spanning (think: audiobooks) and is committed to celebrating both established and emerging voices. St. Albans, various locations. Full program here.
8 September – 28 October: Diving For Pearls by Katherine Thomson
Griffin Theatre’s revival of Diving for Pearls, one of the great Australian plays, is not to be missed. Written in the hey day of economic rationalism (in the ’80s), the play endures in its relevance—the political decisions of that time planted the seeds of divide we continue to witness between those with opportunity, and those without. We wrote about the opportunity to go behind the scenes of the play in our last calendar, and now the production is about to hit the stage. Griffin Theatre, various performance times. Tickets and more information available here.
9 September: High Tea with Sophie Green
Better Read Than Dead are celebrating the release of The Inaugural Meeting of the Fairvale Ladies Book Club with an afternoon event that sounds like it wouldn’t be out of place in the world of the Fairvale Ladies Book Club – high tea! Replete with all the usual trappings of high tea – sweets, scones, sandwiches, maybe a sneaky glass of champers – join author Sophie Green in what is sure to be a delightful afternoon. Better Read Than Dead, Newtown, 3pm. Tickets available here.
9 September: Notes from the Underclass
Notes from the Underclass is a spoken word and sound performance which will explore the idea of ‘poetic sites’ and the relationship it bears to the lived experiences of working class and underclass people. Featuring new compositions by James Maher, Sarah Monk & Victoria Pham and analogue recordings of underclass/working class/low-SES voices. This event is part of the Sydney Fringe Festival. The Living Room, 104 Erskineville Rd Erskineville, 5pm. Tickets here.
13 September: Society of Women Writers NSW
The monthly Literary Luncheon held by the Society of Women Writers NSW (SWW) will be held at the State Library of NSW in the Gallery Room. The event will be preceded by an optional writing workshop and will feature special guests Catherine Marshall, Olga Chaplin and Mark Abernethy. New members welcome. State Library of NSW, 10am start for workshop, 12pm lunch. RSVPs essential, more information here.
13-17 September: Write Around the Murray Festival
This boutique festival is a celebration of all things literary in the Murray region. The only literary festival of its kind in the Albury region, the five day festival program features an array of authors, performers, journalists, poets, musicians, and artists in a variety of settings and formats, including a wood-fired oven event by the Murray River. Various locations, various sessions. Full program here.
14 September: Studio Stories – Glamour
Parramatta Artists Studios hosts a night of all things of glamorous (and sometimes not). Curated by Felicity Castagna, the evening will feature Benjamin Muir, best known for contributing to popular music blogs I Probably Hate Your Band and Killyourstereo, reading with Turkish poet Halee Isil Cosar, whose work focuses on walking the tricky space between western society and traditions and conservative Islamic culture. They’ll be glamming it up with Chris Kelly and Jared Chad Modernel for a night of ranting and raving and looking good. Parramatta Artists Studios, 6:30pm. More information here.
19 September: The Twentieth Man with Tony Jones
Tony Jones is best known as the moderator of Q&A on the ABC, a role that typically sees him asking the questions. In this talk at Woollahra Library however, the journalist and TV presenter will be the one answering the questions as he speaks about his debut novel, The Twentieth Man. Woollahra Library, Double Bay, 6pm. Tickets available here.
20 September: The Hon. Anthony Albanese MP at the Forum
Anthony Albanese. Albo. The Honourable Member for Grayndler. The venerable politician has been in federal politics for over two decades and is the subject of the recently re-released Albanese: Telling It Straight by Karen Middleton. The book, which chronicles Albanese’s rise through the Labor party, explores the influence of his formative years – his mother who made him her number one priority, and his Italian father who he never knew. In an exclusive evening with the Italian Family History Group, the Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Tourism will be talking about meeting his Italian birth father in what is sure to be a fascinating and insightful talk. A book signing will follow the event. The Cultural Centre, Italian Forum, 6:45pm. Free, but bookings essential.
23 September: Masterclass with the Moogahlin Performing Arts Centre
This is the sixth workshop in the Carriageworks Masterclass Series. Lily Shearer, Moogahlin Co-Artistic Director and 2016 Ros Bower Award, leads this course on cultural arts practice in First Peoples performance. Open to people of all ages, backgrounds, and skill levels who are interested in learning more about First Peoples performance making practices, either as allies, collaborators, or practitioners themselves. Carriageworks, 10am-4pm. Free, but registrations essential.
23 September: Subbed In Chapbook Super Launch
Our emerging organisation grant-winners for 2016 are about to launch their for books! Subbed in have been working with some exciting emerging writers – Aisyah Shah Idil, Allison Gallagher and Emily Crocker – to deliver three shiny new titles into the world. This is an all ages event. It’s free. And you get an ibis tattoo on arrival! Details here.
24-27 September: Awkward Conversations at Customs House
Human conversation is awkward. This event, run as part of The Big Anxiety, an arts festival centred around mental health, offers a unique opportunity for intimate one-on-one conversations in experimental formats dealing with tough topics like mental health. Customs House, various sessions. More information available here.
26, 28, 30 September: Unplotted Potter
A Harry Potter show that is less about Harry and more about the unsung heroes of the wizarding world. Presented in association with Scriptease at the Sydney Fringe Festival. Factory Theatre, 8:15pm. Tickets available here.
27 September: Please Laika Me (NYWF Satellite Event)
The National Young Writers’ Festival touches down in Sydney for one-night-only. Join City of Sydney Library and literary organisation, Subbed In, for a night of workshops, interactive installations and performances. Get some performance tips, test your material and meet other young writers from interstate. You can also make, sell and buy some zines. Haymarket Library, 7:30pm. Free but bookings essential.
28 September: Enough Said Poetry Slam
An evening of sharing poems/words/stories etc, this month’s Enough Said event is high stakes. Enough Said is sending the winner of this month’s event to the NSW final of the Australian Poetry Slam in Sydney. Jane’s, Wollongong, 6pm. Tickets available here and at the door.
28 September – 1 October: National Young Writers’ Festival (NYWF)
NYWF is the country’s largest gathering of young and innovative writers working in both new and traditional forms including zines, comics, blogging, screenwriting, poetry, spoken word, hip hop music, journalism, autobiography, comedy, songwriting and prose. The festival presents ‘writing’ in its broadest sense through panels, discussions, workshops, launches, performances, readings, installations, and more. See the full program here.