Byron Writers Festival
Byron Writers Festival 2020
Regrettably and with a heavy heart we have made the decision to cancel Byron Writers Festival 2020, which was scheduled to run from 7-9 August. In light of current public health advice regarding the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) and the cessation of non-essential public gatherings, we have come to this difficult and inevitable choice to protect the health of writers and the entire community.
We believe storytelling, ideas and connection matter more than ever at a time like this and we are reimagining how we might connect writers and thinkers with our audiences this year, including investigating the possibility of a virtual version of the Festival. Watch this space.
We understand this comes as disappointing news to many of you and it goes without saying that the coming months will be incredibly challenging for many of us. The importance of creative gatherings has never been higher so we invite you to save the date for next year’s Byron Writers Festival: 6 – 8 August 2021.
There is much we will need to grieve as we confront the daily reality of this new landscape. We know people are looking for beacons of light and that the power of words can help. Evelyn Araluen was due to be a guest at the Festival this year and has kindly allowed us to share her poem K1: Yellomundee with you (below). She explains that K1: Yellomundee is part of a songline that links many nations throughout NSW.
Stay safe, be well and see you when we next gather again.
Edwina Johnson (Director) and the Byron Writers Festival team
K1: Yellomundee by Evelyn Araluen
the audience murmur
men and women weep
and silk their skin bare,
for here and gone and taken.
Held by mostly mountains now
you wear crowns
of returning eucalypt:
I can’t see your lashes
but feel them still soft
like that skin they try to skin
to wear you with words
and all them names they reason
and rub out.
All this might be lonely
unmarked and highwayside
but then the stars come here
to shine the shape of song
and hear you say
it’s nice
to have someone
to talk to.
—
You can listen to Evelyn’s own reading of this poem via Red Room Poetry.
For further details about the 2020 Festival, please refer to our updated FAQs Page.
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Get a taste of the Festival
Never been and heard great things? Watch our show reel from last year’s Festival and relive the highlights with our 2019 photo gallery and podcast series.
Make a Donation
Did you know that Byron Writers Festival received relatively little public funding – under 20% of our total revenue – with a majority coming from people like you. To ensure we can continue to support and celebrate writers, readers and storytellers please make a donation today. As a not-for-profit organisation run with a small team of staff and volunteers, contributions of any size go a long way in enriching the creative culture of our community. Amounts over $2 are tax deductible. To find out more, click here.
