Byron Writers Festival 2016 program announced

The full program for the 2016 Byron Writers Festival, to be held 5-7 August, has been announced.

Among the international guests are US satirist and political commentator P J O’Rourke; UK novelist Louise Doughty; Irish author Evelyn Conlon; prize-winning Spanish author Victor del Arbol; and Indian writers Salma, Rosalyn D’Mello and Sharanya Manivannan.

They join previously announced international authors William Finnegan and Cheryl Strayed.

More than 150 writers, poets, journalists and politicians will appear at the festival, including local authors Helen Garner, Anna Funder, Tom Keneally, Drusilla Modjeska, Dominic Smith, Charlotte Wood and Magda Szubanski. Author and broadcaster Stan Grant will give the annual Thea Astley Festival Address.

The Kids Big Day Out on the Sunday will feature Kate Forsyth, Anna Fienberg, Pat Davern, Tristan Bancks, Damon Young, Peter Carnavas, Nick Falk and Tony Flowers.

Festival director Edwina Johnson said: ‘The 2016 Festival Program reflects passions, persuasions and diverse perspectives and is underpinned by a fundamental belief in the importance and power of literature in shaping our lives. The age-old art of storytelling can have myriad impacts, least of all starting important community conversations about life and our place in the world.’

For more information, visit the Byron Writers Festival website here.

Category: Festivals Local news