From 25-29 October, the world’s leading authors, artists, thinkers and performers will converge on the 14^th Ubud Writers & Readers Festival to share ideas and stories under the banner of this year’s theme, ‘Origins’.

The theme – drawn from the Hindu philosophy ‘Sangkan Paraning Dumadi’ – speaks of our eternal connection to where we have come from, and to where we will ultimately return.

“Last year’s theme of ‘Tat Tvam Asi’, or ‘I am you, you are me’, was a powerful exploration of our connectedness, to each other, as individuals,” explains Founder & Director Janet DeNeefe.

“At a time of global unrest and political turmoil, ‘Origins’ invites us to consider the biggest picture – to contemplate not just our connections from person to person, but as a collective humanity extending across people, the planet and periods of time.”

Across the Festival’s five-day program, the theme will unfold the powerful movements which have influenced and continue to shape the world – from the political to the technological, environmental to spiritual – and their cyclical manifestations throughout our existence. It will challenge audiences to consider the origins of the elements that shape us, the things we carry with us through life, and the things that draw us back.

“By cultivating a universal perspective and shifting away from the cult of the individual, we instil in our Festival audiences the possibility of truly affirmative action,” continued DeNeefe. “If we are no longer constrained by our individual perspectives, what are our responsibilities, and what is within our power to achieve together?”

As ever, the Festival will celebrate the role literature and the arts play in understanding our place in the world. Platforms for reflection, connection and collective action, literary festivals occupy a unique space in contemporary discourse.

“The modern equivalent to the enlightenment-era coffeehouse, literary festivals are shaking off their reputations as sleepy marketplaces; transforming themselves into cross-cultural events where people who disagree can encounter one another and safely explore complex and controversial ideas – together,” reflected LA Review of Books correspondent Justin Lancy after attending last year’s event.

In bringing together 160+ speakers from 23 countries in 2016, the UWRF has well and truly evolved into a global hub of ideas, experiences and empowerment for both individuals and its diverse community of attendees. Through its strong focus on the Indonesian literary and artistic landscape, UWRF continues to be the most prominent platform for showcasing the nation’s emerging and established writers and artists.

“In Indonesia, the world’s greatest archipelagic nation, almost everyone is constantly asked, Dari mana? Where are you from?” concluded DeNeefe. “At a time when the severity of global events can make us feel disempowered, this year’s Festival drives us to return to our shared humanity and to ask ourselves, ‘what can we do to break the cycles of history?’”

You can submit through our submittable link here.

For more details and our terms and conditions, click here.

There seems to be some wonderful opportunities in Australian universities right now. UTS is currently advertising for a new Professor of Creative Writing and Head of the Creative Writing Program. This is an exciting opportunity for a scholar looking to further their career and develop their skills in academic leadership.

Click here for more information and details for how to apply

Two ongoing teaching-focused Lecturer positions in professional writing and publishing (which at Curtin includes the areas of creative non-fiction writing, magazine features and autobiography as well as editing, publishing and workplace writing) are currently being advertised on the Curtin Future Staff website.  You can find more information here.

Make sure to keep an eye on Curtin’s job listings in the future – there are some exciting opportunities coming up!

The position of Program Director for the China Australia Writing Centre at Curtin University, WA is currently being advertised on the Curtin Future Staff website, and in The Conversation.  This is a Level B, 0.5 appointment until the end of the current year and is open to external applicants. You can find more information here.

Make sure to keep an eye on Curtin’s job listings in the future – there are some exciting opportunities coming up!

The University of New England in Armidale is advertising a Level B lecturer’s position.

The successful applicant must have a PhD or equivalent higher degree by research, supplemented by professional practice, in an area that informs the teaching of written communication for academic and professional purposes across disciplines and with specific application to the creative industries. In addition, applicants must have a demonstrated record in research and publication in one or more specialisations within Writing Studies, demonstrated ability to undertake a range of administrative duties and skills in information and communication technologies.

For more information and how to apply, see the advertisement.

There’s just a month left to submit work to the AAWP literary journal, Meniscus.

This year the Copyright Agency Ltd has provided funding for the journal to pay $1,000 to each of the best prose and best poetry submissions published. (Unfortunately Meniscus does not have funding to pay contributors otherwise).

Do have a look, put in your submission, get published, maybe get a $1,000 cheque.

16 Feb deadline!

The AAWP is delighted to announce the winners of the 2016 Postgraduate Prizes for the most outstanding theoretical and creative papers presented at this year’s annual conference.

The winner of the theoretical stream is Rachel Franks (University of Sydney) for her paper ‘Stealing stories: Punishment, profit and the Ordinary of Newgate’. The judges considered it ‘Impeccably researched and exquisitely written.. show[ing] the dirty underbelly of crime writing’s history.’

Highly Commended was Jason Nahrung’s (University of Queensland) paper: ‘Stolen Futures: The Anthropocene in Australian science fiction mosaic novels’.  The judges considered it ‘well-researched…the writing suggests that the word might hold sway over power politics and economic might.’

The winner of the creative stream is Rowena Lennox (University of Technology Sydney) for her paper arising from an interview with Jennifer Parkhurst ‘Coolooloi’. The judges were impressed by its ‘fascinating combination of interview, personal experience and reflection on inter-species interaction on Fraser Island.’ And its ‘a fresh and excitingly critical approach to the interview as a collaborative form.’

Highly commended in this stream was Caitlin Malling (University of Sydney) for her poetry sequence ‘Spending a Month with William Stafford in Oregon’. Judges commended the pieces’ ‘way of experiencing place, framed within the still-emerging discipline of eco-poetics, and of a vital and energetic engagement with the possibilities and challenges of process-driven writing.

The winner of both prizes receives $300; subscriptions to Overland; Review of Australian Fiction; and Griffith Review; and the opportunity to co-edit the conference proceedings.

The AAWP thanks all entrants in both streams for their thoughtful and rigorous contributions. The AAWP is grateful to the judges: Dominique Hecq; Natalie Kon-Yu; Rachel Robertson and Nike Sulway for their generous support of our thriving PhD community.

Submission Deadline: February 14, 2017 Midnight EST

Poetry (1-3 poems per single submission) Total submission, including 1-3 poems, must not exceed 75 lines.

Don’t Talk to Me About Love has announced the guidelines for its 2017 poetry contest. All submitted works must be original and unpublished. All works that have been published in print or on the Internet, including self-published works, as well as works that have been broadcast or taped are considered previously published and are therefore ineligible for submission.

Poems must be written in English. See their page for more information.

2016 winner: http://donttalktomeaboutlove.org/magdalena-wolak-poetry

Winners will be announced in April 2017 

After the success of our 21st Annual conference, hosted by the University of Canberra, the AAWP is pleased to introduce our new executive board. We have some returning members as well as fresh faces, and we are looking forward to working together to maintain AAWP’s stellar reputation in Australasia and the world.

Front (left to right): Katrina Finlayson, Jessica Seymour, Eugen Bacon, and Willo Drummond. Back (left to right): James Vicars, Amelia Walker, Jeri Kroll, Shane Strange, Paul Munden, Natalie Kon-Yu, Antonia Pont, Thom Conroy, Rachel Robertson, Julia Prendergast. Not pictured: Quinn Eades

The AAWP executive board was sad to say goodbye to a number of wonderful members, including our President, Lynda Hawryluk. Lynda has served on the executive board for 11 years, and was our president for three. She did a remarkable job. Stepping into the President’s shoes is Antonia Pont, who also heads our Memberships subcommittee. We also say goodbye to our wonderful Deputy Chair, Ross Watkins. Julia Prendergast will be taking on the role in his place.

Antonia and Lynda

For a full list of the committee members, their roles, and contact information, please see the AAWP Executive Committee page.

This special issue of TEXT seeks to explore issues related to identity, politics and creative writing from the perspective of creative writers and creative writing academics. The question of who can speak and what stories can be told is central to any discussion of contemporary writing.

Is Australian literature diverse enough or is it still predominantly white, middle class, heterosexual and male? Does it matter?  If we believe that fiction has the capacity to create empathy, to change the way we see the world, then we should care that some voices and stories are not being heard or that they are being represented in ways that perpetuate stereotypes and prejudices. And what can writers do about it? Should we do anything? Should white writers write Indigenous characters and stories? Should heterosexual writers write gay characters and stories?  Should women only write about women?  What is the role of writing academics and writing programs in this debate?

We invite articles that explore the intersections between identity politics and writing.  Articles must relate closely to creative writing practice, research and/or teaching. Themes may include but are not limited to

• Politics of writing and publishing
• Cultural appropriation and creative writing
• White writing
• Taste and aesthetics
• Identity politics and the writer
• Narrating the ‘other’
• Diversity in the Australian publishing industry
• Diversity in Australian Literature
• Diversity in Creative Writing pedagogy
• Privilege – who has it? What do you do with it?
• Unfettered Imagination/Fettered imagination
• Intersectionality and writing
• Creative writing and the canon
• Indigenous writing
• Queer writing
• Diasporic and minority writing
• trans/gressions, incoherences, destabilizations
• Ethics and writing

Editors: Dr Natalie Kon-yu and Dr Enza Gandolfo

ARTICLES DUE:  1^st May 2017. Articles will be sent to two referees for blind review.  Revised articles need to be submitted by October 2017. The Special Issue will be published in April 2018.

All papers and related correspondence should be addressed to Dr Enza Gandolfo at Enza.Gandolfo@vu.edu.au

Referencing style: http://www.textjournal.com.au/speciss/info.htm