SPN Independent Publishing Conference 2018 program: publishing in the age of Trump, podcasts, disability awareness
The Small Press Network (SPN) has announced the full program for its 2018 Independent Publishing Conference, which will run at the Wheeler Centre in Melbourne from 22-24 November.
The three-day conference comprises an industry research day, a trade day and a ‘fundamentals of publishing’ day, as well as the presentation of the Most Underrated Book Award.
This year’s research day on 22 November will feature a disability awareness training session tailored specifically to the publishing industry. Run by Writers Victoria in partnership with Arts Access Victoria, the PublishAbility workshop will cover best-practice language, the social model of disability, barriers to participation, the case for inclusion beyond compliance, and knowing your organisation’s legal obligations. Monash University associate professor Rebecca Giblin will give the keynote address on the research day, addressing ‘the case for rethinking author contracts’.
The trade day on 23 November will feature a panel on podcasting with Wavesound acquisitions editor Chiara Priorelli and book podcasters Astrid Edwards (The Garret), Joel Martin (the Morning Bell), Meaghan Dew (Kill Your Darlings podcast) and Elizabeth Flux (Pratchat).
Chaired by academic Emmett Stinson, the ‘Publishing in the Age of Trump’ panel will feature Perth-based researcher Per Henningsgaard and trade day keynote speaker Danika Isdahl, of Kentucky-based publisher Sarabande Books, discussing the role of US publishers based outside of New York City and their survival in the current US political environment. Isdahl is attending the conference with support from the Melbourne UNESCO City of Literature Office.
As previously reported by Books+Publishing, other presenters at the conference will include Yvette Holt (First Nations Australia Writers Network), Bianca Whiteley (Nielsen BookScan), Robert Watkins (Hachette), Rebecca Lim (Voices from the Intersection), Michael Gordon-Smith (Australian Publishers Association), Rachel Bin Salleh (Magabala), Glen Jones (Amazon Australia), Jonathan Seifman (Booktopia), Belinda Bolliger (Scholastic), Caitlin Yates (Black Inc.), Shalini Kunahlan (Text Publishing) and Michael Mohammed Ahmad (Sweatshop). Former Sleepers Publishing publisher Zoe Dattner will deliver the fundamentals day keynote on Saturday, 24 November.
The conference will again offer free childcare to attendees, which can be booked when booking conference tickets.
The view the full program for each day and book tickets, visit the conference website.
Category: Conferences Events Local news
