The second biennial Tasmanian Living Writers' Week began on 15 August and runs to 24 August.

Shannon Challis, special projects officer of arts@work, which coordinates the festival, reports that so far this year the festival has been a great success.
‘Over 90 people attended the festival launch with Tasmanian Tim Bowden, 160 parents and kids attended a workshop with children's author Morris Gleitzman, 250 attended a series of literary panel session and 120 attended a moving lunch with Julian Burnside QC, barrister, human rights activist and author,' she told WBN.

Challis said that these were exceptional figures for a population of under 500,000, and there were still a large number of events to come. The Tasmanian Book Fair ends the festival, and will feature a showcase of Tasmanian writers and publishers, ‘along with a series of panel session all taking place at the Henry Jones Art Hotel on Hobart's historic waterfront', said Challis.

Authors involved this year include Anita Heiss, James Boyce, Kathryn Lomer, Danielle Wood, Ian McFarlane, Toni Jordan, Helen Cushing, Amanda Lohrey, Louise Oxley, Peter Temple, Les Murray, Julian Burnside, Morris Gleitzman, and many more, including a large number of poets and nonfiction writers. They are involved in over 110 free and ticketed events, including lunches, readings, art with poetry, and discussions.

Challis said the festival's purpose ‘was to engage, further develop and grow Tasmania's literary audience'. The 2008 festival is based on the model from 2006's inaugural festival. Again, some included events come from community suggestions, and are curated by arts@work. ‘The community aspect to the festival is what makes the Tasmanian writers' week different to its mainland counterparts', Challis said.

http://www.booksellerandpublisher.com.au/articles/2008/08/09230/

This article from Thorpe Bowker's Weekly Book Newsletter and Media Extra is reproduced by kind permission of Thorpe-Bowker, a division of R R Bowker LLC. © Copyright 2008, Thorpe-Bowker

Tags: tasmanian living writers week