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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 5 July 2018 2018 West Writers Forum showcases next generation of literary talent The bi-annual West Writers Forum returns to Footscray Community Arts Centre (FCAC) 27 – 29 July 2018, showcasing the next generation of literary talent across stage, page and screen. Join us for three days of workshops, discussion and performance featuring emerging writers from Melbourne’s west alongside renowned local and international literary voices. The opening night on Friday 27 July will be a prestigious event with high profile international and local storytellers in attendance. The evening will feature spoken word performances by featured forum panelists as well as music entertainment by KYE . Day two of the forum on Saturday 28 July, Writing Forward – Exploring the current and future forms of storytelling, features an impressive line-up of emerging and established storytellers. Through a series of panels, workshops and performances, writers and audiences will explore current conversations such as decolonisation, multilingual writing, the politics of non-fiction and the power of imagery. Speakers on this day include Benjamin Law (creator of popular SBS series The Family Law), Maria Tumarkin (Author of books Otherland: A Journey with my Daughter (2010) and Axiomatic (2018)), Raina Peterson (classical Indian dance and queer performance artist), Leah Jing (editor of Liminal Magazine) and Tony Birch (the 2017 Patrick White Literary Award winner). Day two of the forum also features the popular One Night Stanza, presented as part of the MEL&NYC event series supported by the Victorian Government. Kicking off at 7pm, the evening will be an ode to the Brooklyn block party scene, headlined by international guest DJ Jive Poetic alongside local and interstate Australian artists. Day three of the forum, curated by journalist and filmmaker Santil la Chingaipe (Griot Productions) , is a response to the underrepresentation of diverse voices in the Australian screen industry. This event series aims to create tangible access to pathways and opportunities for emerging filmmakers in Melbourne’s west through a special day of workshops, activities and networking. Chingaipe said the program aimed to break down some of the barriers people from diverse backgrounds face in the screen industry. ‘It’s a full day for young people from the western suburbs who have an interest in film and would like to get into the screen industry but might not know how.’ ‘In any industry, representation is vital because people need to see themselves reflected in stories… if you’re not seeing yourself reflected in content made in your country, I think it can be very difficult.’ Featured panelists are the current heavy weights of the Australian screen industry, including Benjamin Law , Sally Caplan (Screen Australia Head of Production), Susie Jones (SBS Commissioning Editor of Non-Scripted Content), Nick McInerney (Matchbox Pictures Series Director) and Robert Connolly (Filmmaker on Barracuda, The Slap, Spear and Paper Planes). Cl ick on the l inks below for an overview of programs on each day: DAY 1 : Opening Night DAY 2: Workshops and Performance DAY 3: Behind the Screens For more information on the ful l West Writers Forum Program vis it footscrayarts .com ##ENDS## Artists are available for interview. For more information and interviews please contact Jessica Ibacache, Marketing & Communications Coordinator, v ia email jessica@footscrayarts.com or phone 9362 8860.