Join us as we bring Byron Writers Festival 2021 authors Isobelle Carmody, Roanna Gonsalves, Krissy Kneen and Nevo Zisin to the Mid North Coast. Presenting workshops and panel discussions in Coffs Harbour, Macksville, Port Macquarie, Bellingen and Harwood.

Friday 31 July – Wednesday 4 August
Various venues
Free, bookings essential

Dr Kathryn Heyman is an award-winning writer. She was awarded the prestigious CAL Author Fellowship for Fury, a memoir of recovery and transformation. She talks with Sarah Armstrong about the book, and about the possibility of reinvention after trauma.

Thurs 5 Aug, 2pm — 3.30pm
Moller Pavilion, Bangalow
$25 + BF inc. afternoon tea by Bangalow CWA

EVENT PARTNER  Friends of Libraries, Byron Shire

Evelyn Araluen is a Goorie-Koori poet, researcher and co-editor of Overland Literary Journal. Her debut poetry collection Dropbear is an innovative mix of poetry and prose from a vibrant new Indigenous voice on the Australian literary scene. In conversation with Lynda Hawryluk, Senior Lecturer at Southern Cross University.

Thursday 5 August, 3pm – 4pm
Southern Cross University, Lismore Campus
Free, bookings essential

EVENT PARTNER  Southern Cross University

A showcase of fresh new voices from Poets Out Loud. Preselected teams and individuals aged 12-18 represent their schools in this thrilling spoken-word competition. Featuring 2020 Australian Poetry Slam champion Ren Alessandra.

Thursday 5 August, 6pm — 8pm
The Regent Cinema, Murwillumbah
$5/Under 18’s free, bookings essential

EVENT PARTNER The Regent Cinema

Artists living with intellectual disability face a variety of barriers. Hear Studio A artist Greg Sindel and Artistic Director Gabrielle Mordy speak about how artists at Studio A are using the power of comics and storytelling to overcome obstacles and become successful and renowned visual artists.

Friday 6 August, 2pm – 3pm
Lismore Regional Gallery
Free, bookings essential

EVENT PARTNER Lismore Regional Gallery
SUPPORTED BY Southern Cross University

Dynasty8 Choir presents an hour-long sonic meditation featuring beautiful ancient and modern classical choral music accompanied by eight shimmering gongs played by David Bennett, from Planet Gongs. Bring a mat, pillow and a rug, find a spot on the floor and allow yourself to surrender to this magical experience. Chairs also provided.

Friday 6 August / Saturday 7 August, 6pm – 7pm
Kingscliff Community Hall / Brunswick Heads Memorial Hall
$30/$25 concession + BF

Danielle Celermajer’s Summertime is written in the shadow of the bushfires. In the midst of the death and grief of animals, humans and ecologies, Celermajer asks us to look around, to become present to all beings who are living and dying through the loss of our shared home.

Friday 6 August, 7pm — 8pm
Crystalbrook Byron (formerly The Byron at Byron)
$30 + BF

EVENT PARTNER Crystalbrook Byron

Comedians do more than tell jokes – they write books, TV shows and garner huge social media followings. How do they stay zeitgeist fit? How does each medium dilute or amplify the comedic voice? Australian comedy superstars talk with our own local legend Mandy Nolan about using comedy as a tool for world domination!

Friday 6 August, 7.30pm — 9pm
Byron Theatre
$30 + BF

Open to 10-18 year-olds for a single two-minute spoken poem. Entry is free. For details contact David Hallett 0487 384 993.

Saturday 7 August, 1.30pm — 2.30pm
Byron Theatre
Free, registrations open 1pm on the day

Join the audience or sign up to perform. Featuring 2020 Australian Poetry Slam champion Ren Alessandra, with MC Miles Merrill.

Saturday 7 August, 3pm — 5pm (Registrations at 2.30pm)
Byron Theatre
Free, bookings essential

EVENT PARTNER Word Travels

More details australianpoetryslam.com

Olivia Grace is back in Byron Bay, and just as well-disguised as ever! Raise a glass to wisecracking teen detective Olivia Grace’s second mission. A rip-roaring excursion into madcap sunshine noir, with a flavour of Veronica Mars meets Elmore Leonard. Launched by Kayte Nunn, bestselling author of The Last Reunion.

Saturday 7 August, 6pm
The Book Room at Byron
Free, no bookings

Lucy Peach is a singer-songwriter, theatre-maker and author hailing from Fremantle, WA. Her passion for preaching the power of the period is embodied in her latest work, Blood Magic – a song cycle written as an ode to the menstrual cycle.

Saturday 7 August, 6.30pm — 7.30pm
Byron Theatre
$30 + BF

Matthew Evans’ latest book Soil is a hymn to the remarkable and underappreciated bit of Earth that gifts us life. A swashbuckling tale of soil that arms us all with the knowledge and respect to care about its health. Matthew discusses farming and the importance of soil in regenerating landscapes.

Saturday 7 August, 7pm — 8pm
The Regent Cinema, Murwillumbah
$30

Fiona Murphy hid her Deafness for most of her life. In her new memoir, The Shape of Sound, Fiona explores issues of stigma and shame, deafness, disability and personal transformation. With a special screening of Fearless Films, a series of short films produced by Feros Care and Screenworks about people living boldly with disability.

Saturday 7 August, 7pm — 8.15pm
Banksia Pavilion, Elements of Byron
Free, bookings essential

EVENT PARTNER Feros Care

This event will be Auslan interpreted.

In this intimate Tell Me Why concert, Archie’s profound spiritual presence imparts a moving on-stage memoir of his life. He sings of both the heartbreak and joy of his people and calls for justice, for understanding, for empathy, for healing and for a better future for our children and country.

Saturday 7 August, 7pm — 9pm inc. interval
NORPA (Lismore City Hall)
$66.50 + BF

EVENT PARTNER NORPA
SUPPORTED BY Southern Cross University

Join renowned guitarist, songwriter and author Jeff Lang for an evening of words and music, as he plays songs from across his career and reads some short passages from his book. Some Memories Never Die is a memoir of three decades on the road in which Jeff recalls the gigs, the twists, the turns and the people he met along the way.

Saturday 7 August, 8.30pm — 10pm
Byron Theatre
$30 + BF

Fiona Foley is a visual artist and academic. Her publication, Biting the Clouds, is a ground-breaking work of Indigenous scholarship. Fiona discusses her art and writing, both of which examine, subvert and dismantle historical stereotypes.

Sunday 8 August, 11am — 12pm
Tweed Regional Gallery & Margaret Olley Art Centre
Free, bookings essential

EVENT PARTNER Tweed Regional Gallery & Margaret Olley Art Centre

The 29^th anniversary of Writers at the Rails featuring Ren Alessandra, Damien Becker, Sarah Temporal and host David Hallett.

Sunday 8 August, 2.30pm — 4.30pm
The Rails Hotel, Byron Bay
Free, no bookings