03-02-21
Julia Gillard: Women & Leadership
UPDATE: THIS EVENT HAS SOLD OUT Newcastle Writers Festival and City of Newcastle present Julia Gillard: Women and Leadership 6pm-7pm Sat 13 February, The Arena NEX Tickets $30 (plus fees…
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Category: Media Release
31-01-21
Work with us
NWF is thrilled to have received Create NSW funding to appoint three guest curators in 2021: First Nations Curator; Poetry Curator; and an Emerging Curator. There is scope for the…
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10-01-21
2021 NWF/JOANNE BURNS MICROLIT AWARD WINNERS
Spineless Wonders and Newcastle Writers Festival are delighted to announce the names of the finalists in the 2021 NWF/joanne burns Microlit Award selected by Professor Cassandra Atherton. We warmly thank all entrants to…
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31-03-20
Newcastle Writers Festival takes program online
#NWFstoriestoyou Leading writers who were due to appear at the Newcastle Writers Festival this weekend (April 4 and 5) will feature in a new free online program: NWF Stories to…
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18-12-19
First guests announced for 2020 festival
We are thrilled to announce that Helen Garner, Ash Grunwald, Archie Roach and Sally Rugg will be among 150 writers attending next year’s festival from April 3 to 5. Their…
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18-12-19
State government announces festival funding
The Newcastle Writers Festival has been successful in securing funding from Create NSW via the first round of the Arts and Cultural Funding Program. This cements the state government as…
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18-12-19
Farewell to Jill Emberson
The Newcastle Writers Festival has lost one of its most treasured supporters. Much-loved ABC Newcastle presenter Jill Emberson died last night surrounded by her loved ones after a determined struggle…
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21-07-19
Small Days and Nights: An Evening with Tishani Doshi
The Newcastle Writers Festival is thrilled to host a special event with award-winning Indian poet, novelist and dancer Tishani Doshi. This intimate evening will include dance inspired by Tishani’s most…
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31-05-19
The Perfect Crime: homegrown thriller writers
On 1 August, Newcastle Writers Festival and Newcastle Library will present a panel of critically acclaimed and bestselling writers who will together unravel the mystery of what makes a great…
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13-05-19
The 2019 Newcastle Writers Festival/ joanne burns Microlit Award
The 2019 joanne burns Microlit Award is jointly sponsored by the Newcastle Writers Festival and publisher Spineless Wonders. We are looking for writing (up to 200 words) that responds imaginatively…
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07-05-19
Submissions for NWF2020
Program submissions for the 2020 Newcastle Writers Festival opened on 20 May, 2019 and closed at midnight, 31 July 2019. The festival is a high quality literary event held within…
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03-05-19
Double poetry book launch: DH Lawrence edition and David Musgrave 13 May
Invitation to a Joint Book Launch You are invited to attend a joint launch of D. H. Lawrence‘s The Poems, Volume III: Uncollected Poems and Early Versions, edited by Christopher…
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14-04-19
Share your festival experience
Each year we try harder to make the festival experience as enjoyable as possible. We are a small team and value your feedback so we can continue to improve how…
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14-04-19
Snippets from across the 2019 festival weekend
We won’t get change without quotas. You can change attitudes but that doesn’t mean you will change behaviour. Quotas are the random breath testing of equality – Jane Caro Australians hate…
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14-04-19
2019: That’s a wrap!
Wow! What a festival. It is hard to believe that just over a week ago we were in the midst of the Schools Program and getting ready for the opening…
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25-01-19
Call for Volunteers
Volunteer registration for this year’s festival is now open! Each year we’ve had a wonderful team of volunteers, praised by writers and audiences alike, and we couldn’t run the festival…
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19-01-19
First guests announced for 2019
We are thrilled to announce the first of 120 guests for the 2019 festival, which will be held from April 5 to 7 in the Civic Precinct. The full program will be…
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19-01-19
2018 Newcastle Writers Festival/ joanne burns Microlit Award finalists announced
The finalists in the 2018 NWF/joanne burns MicroLit Award have now been announced. Two of these finalists will go on to win the joanne burns Microlit Award for the National…
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01-07-18
2018 Newcastle Writers Festival/ joanne burns Microlit Award now open
The 2018 Newcastle Writers Festival/ joanne burns Microlit Award is open. Co-presented by Spineless Wonders Short Australian Stories, the award is seeking writing across any genre of up to 200…
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13-06-18
Anne Summers in Newcastle Sunday 4 November
Respected journalist, editor, policy maker and feminist Anne Summers will visit Newcastle on 4 November to discuss her new memoir Unfettered and Alive. Anne has influenced and often shaped the…
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13-06-18
International double bill in August
Join us for Rebels with a Cause, a very special event at Newcastle Region Library on 6 August featuring the North Korean defector and human rights activist, Hyeonseo Lee, and…
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04-06-18
Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton – SECOND SHOW
Due to overwhelming demand a second event featuring much-loved Australian children’s author Andy Griffiths and his illustrator sidekick Terry Denton has been announced for Newcastle at 4.30pm on Sunday, July…
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08-04-18
Thank you!
What an inspiring and thought-provoking weekend! The 2018 Newcastle Writers Festival has been blessed with wonderful conversations, audiences and weather. We couldn’t do it without the support and encouragement from…
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19-01-18
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT
The Newcastle Writers Festival team is excited to announce that the following award-winning writers will be participating in the 2018 program: * Bruce Pascoe, whose award-winning Dark Emu challenges the…
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05-12-17
2018 Schools Program
It’s here! The 2018 Newcastle Writers Festival Schools Program includes a wonderful line-up of Australian writers and illustrators, including Children’s Laureate Leigh Hobbs, Tristan Bancks Author, Yvette Poshoglian Author, Gregg…
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23-10-17
Jimmy Barnes Working Class Man: An Evening of Stories and Songs – SORRY, SOLD OUT
SORRY, THIS EVENT IS NOW SOLD OUT We are thrilled to announce that Jimmy Barnes will be our opening night guest on Friday, 6 April 2018, in the Civic Theatre…
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28-06-17
Donate before EOFY!
Make a tax-deductible donation to help NWF to keep providing a large number of free and local events. Newcastle Writers Festival is a not-for-profit organisation with official DGR status endorsed…
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26-06-17
The 2017 Newcastle Writers Festival joanne burns Microlit Award
The Newcastle Writers Festival and publisher Spineless Wonders are excited to announce the launch of the 2017 joanne burns Microlit Award. Melbourne writer and academic Cassandra Atherton will judge the…
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14-06-17
Special August double bill
Join us for a very special event at the University of Newcastle’s Conservatorium of Music featuring Professor of Philosophy Emrys Westacott and award-winning British journalist and best-selling author Christina Lamb….
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10-04-17
Newcastle Herald wrap-up of NWF17
Thanks to the Newcastle Herald for their wrap up of the 2017 Newcastle Writers Festival. Scott Bevan writes: “If a picture really is worth a thousand words, then war photographer…
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09-04-17
Save the date: 6-8 April 2018
A message from festival director Rosemarie Milsom: “What an extraordinary weekend. I am so thrilled that our fifth festival was such a success. Just over 9000 people joined us to…
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09-04-17
Even more Poetry – at the Pub
Poetry at the Pub – a wonderful Newcastle institution – will hold a special session on 10 April to wrap up NWF17, with Festival guest poets John Foulcher and Melinda…
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01-03-17
NBN interviews NWF Director Rosemarie Milsom
NBN news interviewed the NWF Director, Rosemarie Milsom, about Newcastle Writers Festival’s 2017 spectacular line-up. Watch the video here!
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01-03-17
Launch of 2017 Newcastle Writers Festival Program
The launch of the 2017 Newcastle Writers Festival program was held at Newcastle Region Library. Festival director Rosemarie Milsom thanked sponsors, including Arts NSW, Newcastle City Council, The University of…
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21-10-16
NWF/joanne burns MICRO-LIT AWARD FINALISTS ANNOUNCED
Congratulations to the Newcastle category finalists: Dael Allison for Breakwall and Amanda Berry for As We That Are Left. Congratulations also to the national category long-list finalists: After the Storm,…
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02-09-16
Matthew Reilly event 16 November
From self-publishing his first book to best-selling writer: Matthew Reilly will speak to Newcastle Writers Festival director Rosemarie Milsom about his brilliant career, hero Jack West and life in LA….
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04-07-16
William Finnegan’s Barbarian Days
Newcastle Writers Festival is thrilled to be hosting its first international guest – New Yorker journalist William Finnegan, whose memoir Barbarian Days was awarded the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Biography….
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12-06-16
Looking forward, looking back
Newcastle Writers Festival is proud to be working with The Lock-Up on a special panel discussion on Saturday, 16 July, to tie in with the exhibition, It’s Timely Too. Panellists…
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12-06-16
The 2016 NWF/Joanne Burns Award for Microlit
UPDATE: ENTRIES ARE NOW CLOSED THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST We are very excited to announce that the 2016 Joanne Burns Award for Microlit will be jointly sponsored by the…
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05-06-16
If you missed seeing Stan Grant…
Don’t despair if you missed the fantastic session with Stan Grant and Jill Emberson at NWF16 in April 2016 – we have footage!
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02-05-16
Robert Gott’s Good Murder
Our friends at Newcastle Theatre Company have been working hard on an exciting new production that will appeal to readers of crime novels. Local theatre stalwart Stewart McGowan has adapted…
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06-04-16
What a weekend!
Festival Director Rosemarie Milsom writes: On every level, this year’s festival was an overwhelming success. Tickets sales increased by 40 per cent, our free sessions were at capacity, the weather…
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06-04-16
Biggest ever writers’ festival
Tim Connell writes, in the Newcastle Herald Monday March 28 2016: A PROGRAM stacked with speakers who seem on the cusp of their “moment” is partly down to timing, says…
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28-03-16
Herald Weekender: Little Things Worth Noticing
Elvira Sprogis writes, in the NEWCASTLE HERALD Saturday March 26, 2016: SMALL things matter to author Mark MacLean [one of our NWF guests]. He gathers observations and bits of information…
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26-03-16
intouch magazine: Passion for the written word
Michelle Meehan writes, in intouch magazine #09: Very few authors enter into a life of writing realistically expecting their endeavours to end in fame and fortune. They simply do it…
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30-01-16
Regional Emerging Writer Residency
The Newcastle Writers Festival is delighted to announce that Alice Springs writer Michael Giacometti has been selected for the inaugural Regional Emerging Writer Residency, offered in partnership with The Lock-Up…
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16-07-15
MEDIA RELEASE: Special reading by poet Les Murray
One of Australia’s greatest poets, Les Murray, will read from his new volume of poems, Waiting for the Past, at a special event on Saturday, 25 July, at Newcastle Region…
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01-07-15
MEDIA RELEASE: New residency opportunity for an emerging regional writer
The successful applicant will be given two weeks’ accommodation in a self-contained apartment at The Lock-Up, a contemporary inner-city arts space in the historic East End, as well as a…
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24-02-14
MEDIA RELEASE – 2014 Newcastle Writers Festival Line-up a Feast of Talent and Id
Lovers of literature hungry to tap into the hearts and minds of their favourite authors will be inspired by the diverse mix of writers attending the 2014 Newcastle Writers Festival….
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30-01-14
Expanded program will inspire and delight Hunter kids at the 2014 Newcastle Writers Festival
Hunter region children from preschool to primary school will be delighted by a dedicated Kids Program that forms an entertaining and educational prelude to the second annual Newcastle Writers Festival….
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