A note from the Festival

It was with great excitement in April that we announced the 2021 Byron Writers Festival would go ahead this year, once again held on Arakwal Bundjalung Land in the beautiful grounds of Elements Resort. Then in May we announced the first guests of the Festival line-up, including Julia Baird showcasing her critically acclaimed and award-winning book, Phosphorescence. She is joined by Tony Birch with his searingly powerful novel The White Girl and Malcolm Turnbull with his memoir, A Bigger Picture. Our discounted Sunday Locals’ Passes – supported by Stone & Wood – went on sale with the first line-up announcement and were so popular we increased the COVID-safe allocation.

We have watched with delight as live events have returned and have been grateful to attend events such as Sydney Writers’ Festival, whose opening night address, featuring Melissa Lucashenko, Tara June Winch and Evelyn Araluen still reverberates. We cheered as the inaugural Kyogle Writers Festival took place in May with Bellingen Readers and Writers happening in June. Never has the thrill of gathering in community to share stories been more powerful and poignant. June will also see the announcement of the full Festival program on which the team have been working tirelessly, with all Festival tickets including 1-Day passes, Satellite Events and Workshops going on sale to the public 23 June (with Member access from 22 June). It has been challenging and thrilling to watch the program come together and we very much look forward to sharing the line-up of storytellers and creators who will stimulate what we are sure will be another cracking Festival of big ideas. Thanks to Create NSW for the support for a number of residential retreats we have been fortunate to hold, including our First Nations Australia Writer/ Illustrator Residential Retreat mentored by Kirli Saunders; our Open Writers and Illustrators Residential Retreat, mentored by Ailsa Piper; and our Write North Writers’ Group Residency, mentored by Charlotte Wood, which will take place in October. It is wonderful to be able to deliver these important and meaningful programs for writers and illustrators and the feedback from them has been hugely positive. Keep up with all things Byron Writers Festival via our website. We are very much looking forward to welcoming you all back to the (COVID-safe) Festival in person in August. Warm wishes from all of us here!

Adam van Kempen and Edwina Johnson Chair and Director, Byron Writers Festival