ABA 2016 conference program announced

17 March 2016 Books+Publishing

The Australian Booksellers Association (ABA) has announced the program for this year’s conference, to be held at the QT hotel in Canberra from 29-30 May.

Author Stan Grant will give the closing keynote speech on his recent book Talking to My Country (HarperCollins), ‘a mediation on race, culture and national identity’. As previously reported by Books+Publishing, US bookseller and long-time American Booksellers Association staffer Len Vlahos will give the opening keynote speech.

Deng Thiak Adut will give a speech at the ABA Gala Dinner at the National Gallery of Australia on 29 May. Adut’s memoir A Child of War, A Man of Hope, about his journey from child soldier in South Sudan to lawyer and refugee advocate in Australia, which was the subject of a recent ad campaign by the University of Western Sydney, will be published by Hachette in November. Musician Jimmy Barnes will also give a speech and the evening will be hosted by musician and comedian Dave O’Neil.

For the second year in a row, the ABA will host the Miles Franklin Literary Award Oration and the presentation of the 2016 shortlist, to be held on 29 May. The orator will be announced shortly.

This year’s conference will also include the announcement of the ABA Bookselling Awards and the Booksellers’ Choice Award, and a joint trade exhibition with Leading Edge Book on 29 May. As previously reported by Books+Publishing, the Leading Edge Conference will be held from 27-28 May.

For more information visit the ABA conference website.

Category: Conferences Local news