Birch to give inaugural State of the (Writing) Nation oration

Tuesday, 23 October 2018 Books+Publishing

Writers Victoria in partnership with State Library Victoria (SLV) has announced a new annual oration called State of the (Writing) Nation.

Each year, Writers Victoria will choose a prominent Australian writer to ‘reflect on different aspects of Australian writing and publishing’. In November author Tony Birch will give the inaugural oration, titled ‘The Aboriginal Voice, Theft and the Responsibility of the Writer’.

Poet and academic Evelyn Araluen will also be reading on the night.

There are currently no plans to record the oration, however each speech will be published annually in Meanjin as an essay.

Meanjin editor Jonathan Green told Books+Publishing: ‘We’re delighted, and looking forward both to growing our relationship with Writers Victoria, and to giving some fine and thoughtful words a print presence.’

The inaugural oration will be held on 8 November at SLV Village Roadshow Theatrette. For more information, see the Writers Victoria website.

Category: Events Local news