‘Readers, writers, artist and storytellers gather from across the country to share stories, knowledge and skills’… where?
At Albury’s Library Museum.
When?
Since 2007, when the new building was opened. Why? See above… and there’s more, much more on the Write around the Murray website.
It is now 2017, and the festival goes from strength to strength. Originally a community initiative, it has become a recognized community celebration of art and culture in our region. From political ‘insider’ Barrie Cassidy to the wizard of words, David Astle, from Angela Pippos’ championing of women in sport to Christine Anu’s legendary songlines, from stories told… Tony Birch, Emily Maguire, Bruce Pascoe, Lisa Dempster… to stories installed… Anna Tregloan’s ghost project… to stories illustrated… Mitch Vane putting Danny Katz’ words into pictures… there was so much to illuminate, to inspire, to talk and talk about… and that’s without even mentioning Jason Steger’s ability to draw out his guests in conversation, Bruce Pennay’s continuing exploration into the true stories of Bonegilla, the entire Schools’ program, the Poetry Slam…
No wonder regional arts festivals have become so popular. They validate their participants’ choice to live outside the cities by highlighting how they can have the best of both worlds, that room to move is not incompatible with room to imagine, to challenge, to conceptualize and put into effect. A particular strength of WAM is its encouragement of that symbiotic relationship between reading and writing and how vitally it informs both appreciation of our shared world and development of the individual imagination.
Look deeper… the images that follow are only a preview…
Riparian 