Bellingen Readers Writers Festival 2023
Image: Costa Georgiadis at Bellingen Writers Festival 2022. Image: Facebook
By JASMINE SIMMONS
The Bellingen Writers Festival in June provides an intimate and thought-provoking experience for readers and writers in regional New South Wales. The festival program includes various writer activities and conversations to engage the regional community and visitors. The events will celebrate the area’s rich cultural history to inspire those with a common interest in the written word.
Since its establishment, the Bellingen Writers Festival has held a strong literary focus aimed at all ages, with opportunities for like-minded readers and writers to connect. Event hosts and speakers include Australian book prize winners, innovative writers, public figures, and politicians. Unlike other major writing festivals, the events at Bellingen are carefully curated to accommodate every attendee and create an intimate environment.
Writers festivals have been held in Bellingen every year since 2011, with each one featuring a selection of celebrated authors.
Award-winning Indigenous author Clare G. Coleman spoke to the people of Bellingen last year about her book release on Australian colonisation. Former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, Australian television presenter Costa Georgiadis, and business owner Dick Smith attended the 2022 festival via live stream.
In 2021, the events program was reimagined to fit within the restraints of the COVID pandemic. The festival remained successful, from slam poetry events to conversations with former senator Bob Brown and young adult fiction writer Morris Gleitzman.
Crowd pleasing slam poetry events were the festival’s focus in 2017 as part of an only school program. Contemporary visual artist Gaye Chapman and children’s author and presenter Chris Collin took part in the program that year.
Bellingen is a small town located on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales. The town is encompassed by the Bellingen river, and stands on Gumbaynggirr land. The local community values the Bellingen Writers Festival, as the regional town gains exposure from well-known authors and Australian personalities. Each year, Bellingen locals have an opportunity to immerse themselves in a variety of literary events without having to travel to any major cities. The festival also places emphasis on the rich Gumbaynggirr cultural heritage, honouring the Gumbaynggirr people.
As part of this year’s festival, renowned authors and guests will partake in different event categories. Starting on Friday the 9th of June and ending on Sunday the 11th of June, the events program includes the fan favourite poetry slam, author conversations, and reader and writer competitions. The 2023 poetry slam will be held on the first day of the festival, allowing participants to perform spoken word poetry to a panel of judges.
Australian comedian and People’s Choice Award winner Wil Anderson will present audiences with his latest memoir, “I Am NOT Fine, Thanks”. Fantasy author Eugen Bacon will share her voice with other authors at the Afro-Australian Voices Event, discussing everyday racism through poetry. On the last day of the festival, audiences can participate in the BookWiz quiz, competing for the “Most Wizzy of Books” 2023 title.
