A PLACE FOR STORYTELLING

The Byron Writers Festival has been a cultural institution in the region since its beginnings in 1997. Since those early days with a handful of dedicated literary locals, Byron Writers Festival has grown into a flourishing event, to the delight of readers, writers and thinkers throughout this creative region.

WRITTEN BY DONNA RISHTON-POTTER

Following the departure of Zoe Pollock, the festival recently appointed a new Artistic Director, Jessica Alice - who has come from her position as CEO of Writers SA, Chair of the Arts Industry Council of South Australia and Chair of the National Young Writers Festival. To Jessica, the Northern Rivers feels like the perfect segue.

“Although it was a significant move in distance, it wasn’t such a dramatic move as if I had come from a city like Melbourne” says Alice, who is a valued arts leader, bringing with her a CV of experience that reads well beyond her years. “In many ways the Northern Rivers reminds me of Adelaide with its regional vibe, natural beauty and amazing food and wine, and arts and culture scenes. There are a lot of beautiful similarities.”

Similar also to her predecessor, is Alice's passion for the arts. “Zoe’s are big shoes to fill but I’m honoured to build on the tremendous legacy of the festival [and to] present this joyous celebration of books and literary culture in the Northern Rivers” she says.

Passion and experience may have brought her here, but her favourite thing is the festival buzz. “It’s the environment,” she tells me ardently, “it’s so inspiring and stimulating. I’ve always loved how you can take the private joy [of creating], bring it into a public space and share it with others, and create something magical.”

Adding to the magic also, is the new event site in Bangalow. Where, for the second year now, the Byron Writers Festival will take place under the shady branches of the showground’s magnificent gum trees. Alice notes the overwhelmingly positive response the community has had to the new space, adding, “It’s the perfect location for big conversations.”

“Like a music festival, it’s a big day – we have over 35 events per day across the five stages so being able to weave that in amongst nature is wonderful. Having shady respite, hanging out on the lawn with your mates, to think, to discuss, to read, to enjoy music and food - it adds such a wonderful energy and dimension to the event.”

As for the content, this year’s program is set to be a book lover’s dream with a generous line-up of renowned authors. Alice and the team may have meticulously curated three jam-packed days of events to stimulate the mind and hearten the soul but, whilst the event has long been a mecca for book nerds, Alice insists there will still be ‘so much for non-regular readers to be inspired by’ – as woven amongst the big literary fiction and genre fiction writers, you’ll also find cook-book and food writers, family, friendship and health, thought leaders and thinkers, even some politics – in short, something for everyone.

There will also be a distinctly local flavour; as a nature lover herself, Alice notes that this year’s content has an environmental theme woven throughout and acknowledges the importance of connection to place and community. “We want the program to be very much from and of the Northern Rivers. Half of the audience are locals and, whilst considering the big conversations happening in this moment, we also want to look at what is important to the community, and to this region.”

Whilst putting together a three-day program, as well as satellite events, for close to 10,000 visitors is no mean feat, Alice sees herself fortunate to be given the scope of freedom she has. “People don’t box themselves in here. They are open minded and adventurous and more broadly immersed in arts and culture… and that is such a treat for a festival director.”

For all information and tickets head to byronwritersfestival.com