Storyfest Festival Guide 2020

WELCOME What’s in store for 2020, our HOTA Reads programme returns with monthly activations in the Gold Coast’s Cultural hub, we’ve partnered with the Australian Children’s Laureate to host their call to action summit – One Loud Voice which will be held on Tuesday 17 March. The writers festival returns with an exciting lineup of Australia’s elite children’s authors featuring Bruce Whatley, Andrew Daddo and Matt Stanton along with first time novelists, Helena Fox, TC Shelley and Carl Merrison. Our featured authors Jess Hill (Literary Lunch) and Elliot Perlman (Literary Long FROM THE CEO Ms Andrea Lewis CEO/Festival Director OUR BOARD Chairperson Louise Davidson Members Airlie Maclachlan, Craig Bassingthwaighte, Terry Herbert, Michael Arnold Chief Financial Officer Kylie Sherrington Our Team

Table) will ensure our thoughts and ideas are challenged and disrupted! We are extremely grateful for the continued support of our presenting partner Somerset College along with the City of Gold Coast, fellow local organisations and many of Australia’s leading publishing houses who join with us in making a difference in the literature world. I take this opportunity to acknowledge and thank the Storyfest Board for their continued support and dedication. Visit the website to keep up to date with our an annual calendar of events and I invite the Gold Coast community to join with us and share the love of literacy, take time to enjoy the many events that will happen not only at the three day writers’ festival but throughout the year.

OUR STAFF CEO/ Festival Director Andrea Lewis Artistic Director Dr Michael Brohier Marketing Co-ordinator Tayla Haynes Event Co-ordinator Lucy Spudic Festival Administrator Rebecca Pridham Festival Administrator Gabriella Lennon On the road... Producer Sue Horkings Beach Library Producer Jordan Wilkinson Curator Nicky Rasmin Bookings Intern Ruby Waters Publicist Nicole Marino (Hashtag Group)

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR’S WELCOME Dr Michael Brohier

AUTHOR SESSIONS Wednesday 18 to Friday 20 March 2020 WORKSHOPS AND PANELS Interactive writing workshops and panel discussions for children and adults SPECIAL EVENTS Prologue Party, Literary Lunch and the Long Table Dinner EXTENDED PROGRAMME Free community events throughout the Gold Coast AUTHOR BOOK SIGNINGS In the Festival Bookshop Festival Highlights

The 2020 Storyfest programme has something for everyone. An authentic literary event should delight, educate, inspire and, on occasion, confront and leave its audiences re-evaluating societal norms and conventions. Storyfest 2020, does just that. The spread of writers is bound to delight and educate younger readers and inspire them to read fiction, venture into writing in all its forms, and in the process improve their literacy; leading to improved outcomes in life. The ABC’s dynamic and thought-provoking Matt Beard and Carl Smith will throw ethical conundrums to young people to problem solve, through their “Short and Curly” shows; something not to be missed. The festival also caters to adults through writing workshops, external “In-Conversation” sessions, the Literary Lunch with Walkley Award winner, Jess Hill, dinner with acclaimed Australian author, Elliot Perlman, and the Surfing Breakfast on Saturday morning, 14 March on the theme, “Life Lessons from the Ocean”, I encourage the Gold Coast community to find the time to visit the Coast’s most respected and inclusive literary event.

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storyfest.com.au