All Events: Events 2024

Reading Event:

ACON Salon.

Roxy Gallery.
6:00 PM
Featuring: Ivan Crozier
Tickets: This is a free event, no need to register.
This is a 90-minute event.
18+ only.

ACON Salon is a reading event aimed at raising awareness of HIV and STI prevention for people who identify as LGBTQ+ and their allies aged 18 and over. Ivan Crozier will read excerpts from gay fiction (Jonathan Kemp’s 26) before opening up to the audience to discuss HIV, STIs, risk and sexual health in relation to the stories. The session will provide local, up to date information about accessing sexual health services, testing, prevention, treatment, and stigma-reduction around HIV.

Primary Schools Event:

Enchanted Ink with Melaina Faranda.

Bonalbo Central School,
Woodenbong Central School.
Contact the school for times
Featuring: Melaina Faranda.
Tickets: Free for school-aged children.
Each school-based workshop will run for 90 minutes.

Join Melaina Faranda for a dynamic storytelling workshop aimed at primary school students. Melaina grew from being a dreamy, barefoot country kid to writing over fifty young adult and children’s books, published nationally and internationally — with many of her books used in schools across Australia. A highly engaging, energetic, and empathic presenter and facilitator, Melaina is passionate about sharing inspiring, practical, and fun creative writing, editing, and storytelling skills with students and helping to foster their talent.

Primary Schools Event:

Enchanted Ink with Melaina Faranda.

Kyogle Primary School,
St Brigid’s Primary School.
Contact the school for times
Featuring: Melaina Faranda.
Tickets: Free for school-aged children.
Each school-based workshop will run for 90 minutes.

Join Melaina Faranda for a dynamic storytelling workshop aimed at primary school students. Melaina grew from being a dreamy, barefoot country kid to writing over fifty young adult and children’s books, published nationally and internationally — with many of her books used in schools across Australia. A highly engaging, energetic, and empathic presenter and facilitator, Melaina is passionate about sharing inspiring, practical, and fun creative writing, editing, and storytelling skills with students and helping to foster their talent.

High School Program:

The Power of Words.

Kyogle Memorial Hall.
11:00 AM
Featuring: Melissa Lucashenko in conversation with Michael Burge.
Gary Lonesborough, Tim Baker in conversation with Ella Jeffery.
Corey Tutt in conversation with Kevin Markwell.
Tickets: Free for high school students.
Contact your school for details.
Doors open at 10:45am.
This is a 3-hour event, with a break for lunch.

This unique event provides an opportunity for high schoolers and teachers from the Northern Rivers to engage with writers who are at the forefront of literary innovation and creativity. Join us as they share their insights, experiences, and expertise. Participants will also have the chance to explore new perspectives, techniques, and trends that shape the literary landscape. The Power of Story: Melissa Lucashenko in conversation with Michael Burge.

Creating Compelling Voices: Gary Lonesborough, Tim Baker in conversation with Ella Jeffery.

Exploring Legends and Inspiring Futures: Corey Tutt in conversation with Kevin Markwell.

Bulaan Buruugaa Ngali, We Weave Together.

Roxy Gallery.
12:00 PM
Featuring: TBC
Tickets: Free, no need to register.
This is a 3-hour event.

The Kyogle Readers and Writers Festival, in conjunction with Arts Northern Rivers, is very proud to present this workshop showcasing the age-old traditions and contemporary practice captured in Bulaan Buruugaa Ngali, We Weave Together. 

Inviting you to a unique opportunity to engage with Bundjalung weavers, celebrating traditional knowledge and techniques through the skilful, patient hands of experienced weavers who were celebrated in the recent Bulaan Buruugaa Ngali, We Weave Together publication. This book intricately weaves stories of Elders and weavers, describing historical materials, and traditional plant species and techniques. Participants can immerse themselves in the cultural practices and weaving techniques featured in the book, learning directly from the weavers. 

Who are we?

Discovering the Creative Industries in the Northern Rivers

Roxy Gallery
3pm
Featuring: Jane Fuller of Arts Northern Rivers and Tandi Palmer Williams of Patternmakers
Tickets: Free, no need to register.
This is a 20 minute event.

They say there are more creatives here than any other region in Australia, outside of major cities. They also say we are the ‘home of festivals’. But who are we really? And how are recent events changing things? 

In this talk, Jane Fuller (ANR) and Tandi Palmer Williams (Patternmakers) discuss a two-year research project exploring the Northern Rivers’ creative sector – and what artists and audiences need to thrive in future.

Daniel Browning’s Close to the Subject.

Unfortunately and due to unforeseen circumstances, Daniel Browning is no longer able to attend the festival. His presence will be missed.

You can go right ahead and get yourself a copy of his book over at Lismore Book Warehouse here.

Kyogle Readers and Writers Festival

Launch Event.

Kyogle Library.
5:30 PM
Featuring:
Tickets: Free, no need to register.
This is a 90-minute event.

Join us to kick off The Kyogle Readers and Writers Festival for 2024 with sips, nibbles, and not too many speeches.

Kyogle Together Presents

Weaving the Voices of the Rivers and the Night Sky.

Kyogle Cinema
7:00 PM
Featuring: Duane Hamacher and Corey Tutt.
Tickets: Free. No need to register.
This is a 60-minute event presented by Kyogle Together’s Rivers and Sky Project.

Weaving the Voices of the Rivers and the Night Sky is a year-long, community-led project run by Kyogle Together and proudly funded by the Department of Regional New South Wales. The project uses storytelling to bring stronger connections between people, the rivers, and the night sky across the Kyogle LGA, to help improve the health of all.
Join Duane Hamacher, whose book The First Astronomers was guided by six Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders, takes us on a journey across space and time to reveal the wisdom of the first astronomers, pointing the way for a world looking to a future in the cosmos. Duane will be joined on stage by First Nations scientist Corey Tutt OAM for a discussion of his research.

Kids Workshop:

Bookmaking with Sarah Daley

Kyogle Library.
9:30am
Featuring: Sarah Daley.
Tickets: Free, no need to register.
This is a 90-minute workshop. All young people need to be accompanied by a responsible adult. If you are in a pinch, a moderately irresponsible one will do.

Something for the kids! Participants will be guided through a 6-part storymaking process to help inspire imagination and creativity using pictures and/or words. They’ll also learn how to do a super special origami fold to turn an A3 piece of paper into an 8-page book.