Curtin University and some of its most famous alumni are inviting the community to celebrate half a century of producing world-class literary talent, with a Festival of Writing to mark 50 years since the university’s Creative Writing course’s first graduating class.
One of the oldest university courses of its kind in Australia, the Creative Writing major started in 1972 when Curtin was still known as the Western Australian Institute of Technology (WAIT), before the first graduates received their diplomas in 1975.
The years since have seen some of Australia’s biggest literary names participate in the course as students (Tim Winton, Natasha Lester, Sam Carmody), staff (Elizabeth Jolley, Dr David Whish-Wilson, Dr Liz Byrski, Professor Kim Scott) or both (Dr Elizabeth Tan, Dr Madison Godfrey).
This year also marks 25 years since Curtin established its successful Professional Writing and Publishing course.
The Festival of Writing will feature speeches and panel discussions with renowned authors, as well as workshops and an exhibition at the TL Robertson Library.
Curtin University Vice-Chancellor Professor Harlene Hayne said the course’s impressive list of graduates spoke to its quality.
“Some of Australia’s favourite fiction authors, poets and non-fiction writers have studied Creative Writing at WAIT or Curtin,” Professor Hayne said.
“The Festival of Writing offers a unique opportunity to celebrate Curtin as a wonderful environment to nurture and follow one’s literary dreams, no matter how big.
“We’re proud to play a part in the creation of words which entertain, inform and captivate readers across the country and the world.”
Author Khin Myint will be among the writers at the Festival, with his novel Fragile Creatures having won or been shortlisted for several literary awards.
Dr Myint studied his undergraduate degree at Curtin before returning to complete his PhD in Creative Writing (Memoir) in 2019.
“What I found at Curtin was a rare balance between creative freedom and scholarly rigour,” Dr Myint said.
“Because the department’s leaders are practicing writers, they understood the craft in the way I needed it explained, while their academic strengths pushed me to dig deeper into my themes.
“That combination helped me sharpen my craft and carried me to being a published author.”
Curtin alumna Natasha Lester has also found great success with novels such as The Paris Seamstress and will deliver the Festival’s keynote speech, the inaugural Liz Byrski Lecture.
As part of her speech, Ms Lester will announce Curtin will partner with Fremantle Press to offer a Liz Byrski Award for narrative non-fiction writers.
The award will enable writers to undertake a part-time writing residency at Curtin, with the opportunity for new and emerging students to interact with the resident writer.
“It’s hard to think of another writer as iconic as Liz Byrski, who has mentored and supported so many other writers and who has contributed quite so much to the fields of literature and journalism,” Ms Lester said.
“An award for non-fiction in Liz’s name would be both a fitting tribute to one of Australia’s greatest writers and would give new and emerging writers something inspirational and meaningful to strive for.”
The Festival of Writing runs from 11am to 5pm on Saturday, September 20.
Please visit the event homepage for more information and to register.
