Introducing SezzaJai Sykes to the NT Writers’ Centre team
The NT Writers’ Centre wishes a warm welcome to SezzaJai Sykes as she takes over the management of our Alice Springs programming for the first half of 2020. Fiona Dorrell has taken on the role of Festival Director and will be working hard over the next few months to deliver the 2020 NT Writers’ Festival here in Darwin before returning to her Alice role in June.
Welcome to the team!
A little bit about SezzaJai…
I keep bees, and these incredible creatures inspire my creative work in performance art, Bee Theatre and poetry performances. Last year I performed at DesFest, Writers Festival and EcoFair. I also wrote and self-published a book of bee poetry called ‘Pandeme of Bees’.
First Writers Announced | 2020 NT Writers Festival–Darwin
Announcing the first line-up of writers joining us for the 2020 NT Writers Festival–Darwin. (more…)
The Chief Minister’s NT Book Awards – A History
Wild Words
WildWords is returning to Happy Yess for 2020, and will now be on the last Thursday of the month.
This month’s theme: New Beginnings!
Time: 7pm to 9pm
Place: Happy Yess at Browns Mart, Darwin city.
Cost: $5/ or free for performers
2020 Chief Minister’s NT Book Awards
Submissions for the 2020 Chief Minister’s NT Book Awards have now closed.
The awards in 2020 were open to authors living in the NT who have had a book published in 2018 or 2019.
Since 2009, the awards have celebrated excellence amongst published authors residing in the NT. They draw national attention to NT writers and in the past have served to raise the profile of remote, regional and Indigenous voices. The awards take place biennially and this year, thanks to the generosity of Chief Minister Michael Gunner, we are again pleased to open three categories. (more…)
Imprint December 2019
The December 2019 issue of imprint, the Northern Territory Writers’ Centre Journal is headed to members’ mailboxes.
Writing, interviews, poetry and local book reviews!
Hot Desk Writer | Renee McBryde
Renee McBryde is an Alice Springs writer who published her first book, The House of Lies with Hachette Australia in 2017. Renee was our NT Writers Centre Hot Desk writer from July to December 2019 and has been working on her new book. This is what she had to say about the experience: (more…)
2020 Festival Director
Our long-time Alice Springs program manager Fiona Dorrell is taking to the tropics from the desert to direct the 2020 NT Writers Festival. (more…)
NTWF 2020 | Gunamidirra garawa birditj
The 2020 Writers Festival theme is out!
Gunamidirra garawa birditj, Larrakia for when the tides turn explores our moments of change. (more…)
Andrew McMillan Memorial Retreat
Thanks to everyone who applied for the Andrew McMillan Memorial Retreat in Larrimah.
This year there were 12 applications from around Australia, and one from New Zealand!
After deliberations by the selection panel, Alice Springs poet Laurie May was chosen as the successful applicant.
Laurie May is working on the memoir of an Alice Springs poet and storyteller.
The annual retreat will be offered again in 2020, thanks to the McMillan Trust.
Poetry Workshop for Arrernte Women
Penny Drysdale is coming back to Alice Springs to help us finish our poetry collection, ‘Arelhekene Angkentye – Women’s Talk’. We will be looking at the poetry we have written this year and getting it ready to publish. (more…)
Save the Date | NTWF 2020
In 2020 NT Writers Festival returns to Darwin, Larrakia lands also known as Garrmalang. (more…)
2019 Survey
Please click the following link to complete our survey for 2019 (you don’t have to be a member!). It will only take a few minutes and helps us to provide the best services and programs for the Northern Territory community, as well as get your valuable feedback on where we can add more value in the future!
Darwin Poetry Slam champion!
Congratulations to Piper Mules for winning the Darwin heat of the NT Poetry Slam!
She will join the winner from the Alice Springs competition (27 August) at the national finals in Sydney, with a chance to be crowned Australian Poetry Slam champion 2019. Piper put in an excellent performance at the heats on Sunday, delivering two well-chosen and thought-provoking poems with a flawless and engaging style. Well done to all those who took part, the quality of poetry on offer and huge turnout made it a special event for everyone involved.
Thank you to Laurie May for her excellent MC skills and coming all the way up from Alice to run the show, thank you to Nigel Foster for his excellent workshop to help us prepare for the event and thank you to the Wild Words team for hosting (and especially Fred van’t Sand for agreeing to be the sacrificial poet).
See you all next time!
Click here to watch Piper in action (Wild Words Facebook page)
Click here to check out the NT Poetry Slam website for more info on the finals
Top Five @ Darwin Heat
- Piper Mules
- Clare Bizley / Adelle Sefton-Rowston (same score)
- Kingsley Gittins
- Kaye Aldenhoven
NT Literary Award winners!
The winners of the NT Literary Awards have been announced! Congratulations to everyone who entered! Thanks to the Northern Territory Library for running these awards, which are beloved of the NT writing community, and thanks to the sponsors who support the event. (more…)
