FRIDAY
March 13 2020
10:30am – 11:30am
SESSION 1: YOUNG READERS PROGRAM
Venue: Scone Library
Sophie Masson, AM, award winning children’s author with illustrator, Kathy Creamer.
Hosted by: Paula Stevenson
10:30am – 12:30pm
SESSION 2: YOUNG READERS PROGRAM
Venue: Murrurundi Library
Samantha Tidy – join Samantha for an interactive workshop based on her celebrated book, The Day We Built The Bridge.
Hosted by: Peter Carlin
10:30am – 3pm
PRIMARY WRITERS WORKSHOP
Venue: Scone Grammar School
Facilitated by UNLOAD Creative Writing Hub – open to years 5 and 6 students with a keen interest in writing from all primary schools in the shire.
10:30am – 3pm
HIGH SCHOOL MUSIC WRITING WORKSHOP
Sharing the love of words through music storytelling
Venue: Scone Grammar School
UHSC high schoolers will have the chance to learn how to tell powerful, potentially award-winning stories through music with singer, songwriter, producer, author, playwright and Australian Idol winner, Power FM Radio Breakfast co-host: Damien Leith.
10am – 11.30am
BUSH POETS SESSION AT STRATHEARN
Venue: Strathearn Retirement Village, Gundy Road, Scone
A first for Strathearn and the Scone Literary Festival presenting our fabulous bush poets over morning tea.
12pm – 2pm
MERRIWA LITERARY LUNCH
Venue: CWA, 159 Bettington Street, Merriwa
Cost: $35.00 per person
SLF presents first major satellite event with Australian rural fiction writers, Nicole Alexander and Richard Anderson for a lively discussion on Crime and History in the Bush. This event is a partnership with Upper Hunter Library in association with CWA. Enjoy the fabulous hospitality and food from the CWA and have the chance to get involved.
6.30pm for 7pm
FESTIVAL DINNER
Venue: Kingdon Street, Scone
Cost: $100.00 per person
This is the first Festival dinner for the community; one long table outside the Scone Arts and Crafts Hall in Kingdon Street where we will share food and swap stories. Guests are invited to come dressed as their favourite book character! Prizes will be awarded! Dinner will feature local wines, and some local produce. Special guest speaker to entertain us.
SATURDAY
March 14 2020
9am – 9.30am
WELCOME MORNING TEA & BOOK SIGNING
Venue: Scone Arts and Crafts Main Hall
9.30am – 9.40am
OFFICIAL OPENING AND WELCOME TO COUNTRY
Venue: Scone Arts and Crafts Main Hall
9.40am – 10.30am
HISTORY, POLITICS AND BIG INTERVIEWS
Venue: Scone Arts and Crafts Main Hall
Cost: $25.00 Single ticket event
Kerry O’Brien in conversation with Phillip Adams.
10.35am – 11.30am
ETHICS IN AN AGE OF DOUBT: HOW DO WE BUILD AN ETHICAL SOCIETY?
You don’t have to look far today to find ethical failures causing widespread social disruption: fake news, the growing power of tech companies, dishonest political campaigning, child sex abuse scandals and cover ups within religious institutions and the rise of alt-right agitators giving new license to racism, misogyny and hatred. What are the building blocks for social growth in a disrupted age? Do we need an ethical infrastructure to help us navigate through these difficult times? And how should individual agitators, critics and commentators engage with institutions and the public to build social cohesion and a better society?
Father Rod Bower, Kerry O’Brien, Jane Caro in conversation with Dr. Matt Beard, The Ethics Centre
11.30am – 11.40am
BREAK
11.40am – 12.30PM
WORDS AND SYMBOLS: REDEFINING GENDER
Venue: Scone Arts and Crafts Main Hall
In the wake of #MeToo, gender imbalance and how women and men are differently damaged by our stratified gender expectations, this esteemed panel is sure to crack open the conversation about gender equality.
Jane Caro, Georgie Dent, David Leser Hosted by: Nicole Adabee
12.30PM – 1.20PM
LUNCH
Including book signing and Pop-Up Poetry. After lunch audience splits into separate sessions at Court House Theatre and Arts & Crafts Hall.
1.30PM – 2.30PM SESSIONS
Food For Thought
Venue: Scone Arts and Crafts Main Hall
Is regenerative agriculture the future of food? Some pundits say that it is the necessary path forward to resolve many of the current problems in our food system. Leading food writers and farmers discuss this critical topic.
Matthew Evans , Gillian Sanbrook, Julian Cribb
Hosted by: Barbara Sweeney
Crime, Bushrangers, Rural Life And Crime In The Australian Bush
Venue: Court House Theatre
Australian rural crime stories are rating their socks off. Why? Is it that fascination with criminal and aberrant behaviour, our voyeur nature, the battle between good and evil? This panel will explore the phenomenon including our fascination of Australian bushrangers.
Chris Hammer, Greg Powell, Emma Viskic, Chief Justice James QC, AM
Hosted by: Jamell Wells
2.30PM – 3.30PM SESSIONS
The Misreporting And The Cancer Of Distrust: Bodies And Lies Of Science.
Venue: Scone Arts and Crafts Main Hall
Science writing: is it proving anything? Is it another form of fake news? This panel will address misinformation and the fallacy of evidence-based science.
Patrice Newell, Julian Cribb, Garry Willgoose
Hosted by: Maggie Ball
The Power Of Words: Sharing Life Experiences
Venue: Court House Theatre
These wonderful authors will share the stories of their lives – from literally breaking badly to navigating fame of winning a reality TV contest.
Georgie Dent, Samantha Tidy, Alexandra Joel, Damien Leith
Hosted by: Karen Crofts
3.30PM – 3.50PM
AFTERNOON TEA, POP-UP POETRY
3.50PM – 5PM
WHAT BOOKS WOULD YOU CHANGE THE ENDING AND WHY
Venue: Scone Arts and Crafts Main Hall
Richard Glover and panel of guest speakers discuss important life moments.
5.30PM – 7.30PM
SPECIAL EVENT: SOIRÉE SPECIAL TICKET EVENT
Venue: Arts and Crafts Gardens
Cost: $50.00 per person
Come along and enjoy a beautiful evening of food, wine and music under the stars with the fabulous Stiff Gins. We will also be revealing the winners of this year’s High School Writing competition.
SUNDAY
March 15 2020
8AM – 9AM
SPECIAL EVENT: BUSH POETS BREAKFAST
Venue: Scone Arts and Crafts Gardens
Cost: $20.00 per person.
Join some of the Upper Hunter’s best bush poets in the gardens of Scone Arts & Crafts and enjoy breakfast and a coffee before Day 2 kicks off. Money raised will go to local causes in Scone and the Surrounds.
Winners of Farmers Writing Contest will be announced.
9.15AM – 10.05AM
WORDS FROM WINX!
Venue: Scone Arts and Crafts Main Hall
Cost: $25 per person
Records were broken and the hearts of a nation captured. Winx was more than a world beating racehorse; she gave hope and enjoyment to millions around the world. In this exclusive session, Winx’s official biographer, Andrew Rule will share his thoughts and insights into the legend that is Winx.
Hosted by: Kate Mailer
Sponsored by: Yarraman Park Stud
10.10AM – 11AM
AUSSIE, AUSSIE, AUSSIE, OI, OI, OI: WHY DO WE LOVE SPORT SO MUCH?
Venue: Scone Arts and Crafts Main Hall
Australia is often seen as a sport-obsessed nation, its people besotted with watching and playing sport. This panel will discuss the central role of sport in Australian popular culture.
Gideon Haigh, Andrew Rule, Helene O’Neill, Hosted by: Dr Jess Richard
11AM – 11.15AM
BREAK
11.15AM – 12.15PM
RICHARD GLOVER AND THE LAND BEFORE AVOCADOES
Venue: Scone Arts and Crafts Main Hall
Richard will present his hilarious view of Australia with a discussion on contemporary Australian life. He’s bound to have a comment or two on ethics, sport and food. It will be a fun way to wrap up the formal proceedings before we head into the workshops.
12.15PM – 1.30PM
LUNCH & BOOK SIGNING POP-UP POETRY
1.30PM – 3.30PM
WRITING WORKSHOPS
Workshop 1 – Podcasting with Writes4Women
Venue: Scone Arts and Crafts Main Hall
Cost: $30.00 per person
Learn how to take advantage of the podcasting trend and use it to your greatest marketing and writing advantage. There are many ways the podcasting boom can be a brilliant tool for writers and this workshop is all about giving writers the inside track on how to make the most of it.
Workshop 2 – Sophie Masson AM
Venue: Hall 2
Cost: $30.00 per person
The journey of a book: from lightbulb idea to the bookshop. Sophie will share her immense experience of writing and publishing award-winning books. She has been published internationally and authored over 60 books for children, young adults and adults.
1.30PM – 3.30PM
LAZY SUNDAY AFTERNOON ‘BOOK CLUB’
Venue: Scone arts and Crafts Centre Gardens
Cost: FREE
Everyone welcome! Please come along and discuss your latest and greatest reads with fellow book lovers.
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