Media Release
The Commonwealth’s Best Writers Go Country!
5 May 2004
Some of the Commonwealth’s best writers will be visiting Bendigo and Ballarat on Monday 10 and Tuesday 11 May. Last year’s Commonwealth Writers Prize regional winner Sonya Hartnett will join 2004 regional winners Australian born and Lebanese based Nada Awar Jarrar and South African author Damon Galgut for readings in both towns.
The regional tour is part of a week-long program of events, including readings in selected suburban and regional centres. The international writers are competing in the prestigious Commonwealth Writers Prize (CWP). The State Library of Victoria is hosting the final judging between 10 and 15 May. The program is the highlight of the Library’s ‘Wordfest,’ part of its 150th Anniversary Program.
The Best Book and Best First Book winners will be announced at a dinner in the State Library’s Cowen Gallery on Saturday 15 May. The Awards are valued at 10,000 pounds ($24,500) and 3,000 pounds ($7,300) respectively. In addition, the winner of the Best Book award will be invited to London for an audience with Her Majesty, The Queen.
The Commonwealth Writers Prize is one of the most important literary prizes in the world. It was established by the Commonwealth Foundation in 1987 to encourage and reward the upsurge of new Commonwealth fiction and ensure that works of merit reach a wider audience outside their country of origin.
Join Sonya Hartnett, Nada Awar Jarrar and Damon Galgut on:
Monday 10 May
Campbell Theatrette, Bendigo Library, 259 Hargreaves Street, 6.30pm–7.30pm, $5, MC ABC Radio’s Jonathan Ridnell, Bookings: 03 5434 6464
Tuesday 11 May
Ballarat Library, 178 Doveton Street North, 11am–12 noon, $5, MC ABC Radio’s Dominic Brine, Bookings: 03 5332 2615
Bookings are essential.
|
