Full Perth Festival Literature & Ideas program announced
The full line-up has been announced for the 2021 Perth Festival Literature & Ideas program, which will be spread across 12 days from 8–28 February 2021.
Newly announced local authors appearing in-person at the festival include Ellen van Neerven, Richard Fidler, Victoria Hannan, Nardi Simpson, Chris Flynn, Joey Bui, Jessie Tu, Donna Mazza and Laura Jean McKay. They join previously announced international writers Brit Bennett and Maaza Mengiste, who will appear via live stream, as well as Australian guests including Julia Gillard, Kate Grenville, Shaun Tan and Craig Silvey.
The 2021 event, based around the themes of nostalgia and Bilya (river), begins on Wednesday, 13 February with the Day of Ideas event at Perth Concert Hall. The Day of Ideas event will focus on the meaning and impact of Derbal Yerrigan/Swan River on the life of the city. On 21–22 February, His Majesty’s Theatre in Perth’s CBD will host over 30 events for Literature Weekend in the City, and the festival program will conclude with the Wild Things takeover of Perth Zoo, a family day of ‘stories, music, adventures and plenty of animal magic’ on Sunday, 28 February.
Under a new approach to ticketing for 2021, the sessions for the literature weekend will be ticketed under a ‘pay what you can’ model, with proceeds from tickets purchased for above the suggested price going ‘towards helping other people attend festival events where cost is a barrier’. Several sessions will be available to be streamed online for those who can’t make it to the festival in-person.
The 2021 Literature & Ideas program is the second to be curated by Sisonke Msimang, who said: ‘After months living online and isolated last year, we will revel in coming together to share the conversations, laughter and camaraderie that can only happen face-to-face in inspiring surroundings. We will celebrate the best WA writers, along with interstate and international guests, in venues that will be buzzing with stories and adventurous ideas.
‘I’m excited about our Literature Weekend in the City at the beautiful His Majesty’s Theatre where we are inviting audiences to step away from the small computer and phone screens to take in authors on the big stage and in the smaller, more intimate spaces of The Maj.’
To see the full literature and ideas program, visit the Perth Festival website.
Category: Local news
