“Three weeks ago, when it became impossible to continue with the 2020 Festival, I said that this year’s program was now but a time capsule. We’re thankful to the Copyright Agency for giving the 2020 Festival a new story, and for extending much-needed financial support in this precarious moment for the Australian literary community.”
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Thanks to funding announced today by the Copyright Agency, over the coming months Sydney Writers’ Festival will be able to re-imagine a significant number of sessions from the 2020 program as a series of podcasts.
“We’re so grateful to the Copyright Agency for extending this lifeline to the Festival,” said Sydney Writers' Festival Artistic Director, Michaela McGuire.
“This funding will go directly to Australian authors who were scheduled to appear in the 2020 Festival. It allows us to celebrate and promote their incredible work, encourage sales of their books and connect them with the Festival’s audiences."
“The funding from the Copyright Agency gives us the means to restore the 2020 Festival as a digital program by enabling us to pay Australian writers for their participation, which right now is more important than ever.”
The Festival will be working closely with our longstanding partner Gleebooks to promote the sales of the books that we’ll be highlighting in these podcasts and online events.
“Copyright Agency is delighted to be able to partner with Sydney Writers’ Festival to help bring to audiences the extraordinary array of Australian writers the Festival so carefully curated. Not only will this mean exposure for great writers, it will also assist publishers and booksellers to sell books and the generation of author royalties.”
The Sydney Writers’ Festival is built around the sharing of ideas and conversations. In these isolating times, we are heartened that storytellers and story lovers can come together as an online community.
As these writers contribute their stories, perspectives and ideas over the coming months, we hope they lift spirits, provide comfort and offer a sense of community.
We intend to release the first podcasts in the coming weeks. To keep up to date, sign up to our enewsletter and follow Sydney Writers’ Festival on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Dated: 6 April 2020