Brisbane Writers Festival 2016 program launched

The full program for the 2016 Brisbane Writers Festival (BWF) has launched.

US author Lionel Shriver will deliver the opening address on communities and belonging, joining international guests Alexei Sayle, Justin Cronin, Yann Martel, Suki Kim and Meg Rosoff among others, on the program.

Local authors attending the festival include Anita Heiss, Maxine Beneba Clarke, Richard Fidler, Melina Marchetta, Emily Maguire, Caroline Overington and Ellen van Neerven.

For the first time, the festival has appointed two ‘Philosophers-in-Residence’, Antonia Case and Frederick d’Agostino, who will attend events and pose questions to attendees. The two will ‘connect the dots and highlight the ideas that resonate’, and present these in the festival’s closing address.

Special events at the festival include: BWF’s Great Debate with A C Grayling, Dave O’Neil and Yassmin Abdel-Magied; the return of the ‘STORY+’ program, which will explore the digital futures of literature with digital creator Kate Pullinger and Google Creative Labs director Tom Uglow; and a live reading of Nick Earls’ five interconnected ‘Wisdom Tree’ novellas.

The previously launched schools program will feature a free day-long LoveYA! event with international guests David Levithan and Rosoff, and the immersive ‘Alphabet Zoo’ play-scape at the State Library of Queensland. BWF will also partner with RSL Care to present free author events in public libraries across Brisbane, Logan and Scenic Rim councils.

Running from 7-11 September, this year’s BWF will be presented by UPLIT. As of July 2016, UPLIT is the new name of the BWF organisation, extending its reach beyond the five days of the festival and encompassing a year-round series of events and programs.

For more information about the festival, visit the UPLIT website here.

Category: Festivals Local news