Byron Writers Festival announces Restart funding program

Byron Writers Festival has announced a new residency program funded by Create NSW, which has granted the festival $185,000 to be disbursed in residencies as well as free workshops for NSW writers and illustrators.

‘The arts community has been hit hard by the Covid pandemic,’ said Byron Writers Festival director Edwina Johnson. ‘Our Restart program is a way to offer a broad-reaching rescue package that will help create new works and valuable professional experiences.’

The Restart program will begin with two residential retreats for NSW writers and illustrators, to take place in May 2021: the Open Writers and Illustrators Residential Retreat and the First Nations Australia Writer/Illustrator Residential Retreat. The program offers participants a five-day expenses-paid retreat in northern NSW, shared with four other artists and mentored by an Australian writer. Ailsa Piper has been announced as the mentor for the open retreat, while the First Nations mentor is Kirli Saunders.

Illustrator–writer Dub Leffler and writer–singer Nardi Simpson will also participate in two writers-in-residence initiatives planned for local public schools. ‘Byron Writers Festival Restart extends the great work in schools done by the Byron Writers Festival StoryBoard program,’ said Leffler. ‘Getting to work with kids over a whole term will be so rewarding. Restart supports lasting community involvement with storytelling and I can’t wait to get started.’

The festival said that there are more announcements to come: ‘Create NSW is keen for this stimulus package to start as soon as possible, so Byron Writers Festival are working overtime to design and roll out more exciting workshops.’

For more information about the Restart Residential Retreats, visit the Byron Writers Festival website.

Category: Local news