Latest News: Manly Writers' Festival 2025: Celebrating Reading and Ideas
Manly Writers' Festival 2025: Celebrating Reading & Ideas
Proud to be a contributing author to this Festival.
Here are the details of the session I'm contributing to with Jessie Tu (The Honey Eater) and Deborah Pike (The Players) which will be hosted by Summer Land.
Sunday, 30 March
Creative Lives In Fiction: Stories of Love, Ambition and Self-Discovery.
Explore the intricate dynamics of identity, ambition, and creativity
with Deborah Pike (The Players), Jessie Tu (The Honeyeater),
and Gillian Wills (Big Music). Through the lens of coming-of-age
journeys, the tension between art and societal expectations, and the
complexities of love and ambition, these novels illuminate the universal
struggle to find one’s place in a rapidly shifting world. Join us for a
compelling discussion on how cultural and societal pressures shape
personal growth and creative expression and what it means to forge
an authentic identity amidst competing demands.
Host: Summer Land
Also on a session discussing the importance of music education.
‘Teach The Children Well’ (Crosby, Stills,
Nash And Young)
Studies show that music education helps improve cognitive function
and literacy. Increasingly crowded curriculums and finite resources
have seen schools cut back on music programs, resulting in thousands
of children leaving primary with no formal music education. Many
schools that try to retain some music in their curriculum often deliver it
by a generalist teacher who has received 17 hours of music education
in their four-year degree, compared with 350 hours for a generalist
teacher in South Korea. How do we ensure policymakers and
educators see the bigger picture of the value and importance of music
education to every child’s development?
Panel: Andrew Ford, Max Holzner, Josh Piterman, Gillian Wills
Host: Suzanne Leal pictured below.
Manly Writers' Festival
The much-anticipated Manly Writers' Festival 2025 returns for its second year, promising three days of engaging discussions, powerful storytelling, and creative inspiration from Friday, March 28, to Sunday, March 30.
With over 125 writers, journalists, academics, and creators across more than 50 events, this year's festival expands on its debut success, offering a vibrant program designed to spark curiosity and inspire change.
From social media and AI to memoirs, politics, sports, and historical fiction, the festival caters to diverse interests and passions.
Festival Founder and Director Bonita Mersiades said, "We are thrilled to bring together such an incredible array of talent for this year's festival. We hope that the festival helps connect people and ignites meaningful conversations through reading and writing."
Highlights of the Program Include:
- Opening Night Book Launch: Join award-winning writer Blanche d'Alpuget as she unveils her latest novel, The Bunny Club, in a special event at Manly Spirits Distillery, complete with themed cocktails and an antipasto platter.
- Author Talks: One-on-one author talks with authors Heather Morris, Peter FitzSimons, Jane Caro, Debra Oswald and Lech Blaine.
- Trailblazing Discussions: Notable names like Damian Collins OBE and Julie Inman-Grant will explore pressing issues like AI, social media, and online safety, providing invaluable insights for parents and educators.
- Fundraising Trivia Night: A charity literary trivia evening at Manly Surf Life Saving Club will support the Northern Beaches Community Cancer Charity (NBCCC).
- Conversation Circle: Geraldine Doogue will host a discussion on Navigating the Shifting Global Order with Geoff Raby, Dennis Glover, Don Watson and Collins.
- Sunday Sessions at Manly Golf Club: Dive into the rich cultural tapestry of Australian music and sport, capped off by an evocative Chairman's Lounge experience with celebrated journalist Joe Aston.
Additionally, the festival includes a School Day, that aims to help empower young minds with news literacy skills that will help them to separate fact from fiction. It will be guided by Gavin Fang and Tracey Kirkland from the ABC, Kim Smee from the Manly Observer, and Jill Valentine, author and communications executive. The school day is free for students thanks to the support of partner, Aide de MD.
Attendees will also be able to discover the latest in contemporary and historical fiction, poetry, biog