Blak & Bright Festival Program announced

Blak & Bright First Nations Literary Festival is a celebration of First Nation stories, books and writers across Naarm, Australia and Internationally Thursday 17 until Sunday 20 March 2022.

Blak & Bright brings together the world’s oldest storytelling traditions in bold and innovative ways.  Featuring over 67 of thecountry’s most exciting storytellers in a program of 27 events from oral stories to epic novels, from poems to monologues, from history to activism.

Curated to give voice to stories that are rarely heard, guests include Tony Birch, Claire G. Coleman, Elders, Jazz Money, Nardi Simpson, Ellen van Neerven, Tara June Winch, Chelsea Watego, Alexis Wright, Yung Tent Embassy activist plus more.

Jane Harrison, Festival Director:

We have designed a bold new festival with new talent, new stories and new events, delivered in new hybrid ways, while bringing back old favourites (artists and events). We figure Blak stories are needed more urgently than ever, in the face of climate change, pandemics, Blak Lives Matter. We need access to connection, compassion and country through stories. Here’s to Blak words live.

Festival highlights include:

Official Opening

Welcome to Country and commissioned performance: Solace

Three traditional owners and artists have devised a multi-disciplinary performance exploring men’s mental health. With Philly, Bryan Andy, James Henry and Steven Rhall.

What’s Changed? What’s Stayed the Same?

Melissa Lucashenko talks to the theme, with a spotlight on writers Jazz Money, Alexis Wright and Crystal McKinnon. With Glenn Shea.

Blak & White & Read (& Heard) All Over

Unpacking the importance of Blak voices in the media. With Daniel Browning, Thomas Mayor and Declan Fry.  Moderator Merinda Dutton

Yung Tent Embassy

Across two hours six activists from a range of social justice sites will present their curated, passionate ten-minute talks. With time for audience responses. Curated by Crystal McKinnon. With Elder Activist Aunty Ronnie Gorrie.

Big Blak Poetry Read

Six of the fiercely best poets read three of their best poems. With Jazz Money, Charmaine Papertalk Green, Tony Birch, Kirli Saunders, Ellen van Neerven, plus Samoan-New Zealand poet Tusiata Avia

Borrow a Living Book

Sit down with an Elder at Mabu Mabu’s Big Esso, to hear the story of their lived experience. With Uncle Larry Walsh, Aunty Pat Ockwell, Aunty Pattie Lees, Aunty Pam Pederson.

The Wright Stuff

Alexis Wright reads from her award-winning oeuvre and a special treat – an excerpt from a new work. With Alexis Wright, Jane Harrison.

The Monologues

Hear the best monologues to come from Blak playwrights including Kodie Bedford, Richard Frankland, Jane Harrison, Anita Heiss, Andrea James, Nathan Maynard, Maryanne Sam, Dylan Van Den Berg, Ursula Yovich. Read by two of our finest actors

Gammon

Gammon is the Aboriginal slang word for ‘joking, kidding’. This is Blak comedy at its blakest. MC Kimmy Lovegrove with Denise McGuinness, Ben Moodie, Kasey Johnson, Tommy Pemberton.

Architecture & Design: A Blak aesthetic?

What is an Aboriginal aesthetic? How can you design buildings and products that reflect Aboriginal world views? With Alison Page, Brian Martin, Sarah Lyn Rees. Moderator Timmah Ball.

Words in Progress

The how, when, where, what and why of their writing practices. With Tara June Winch, Charmaine Papertalk Green, Claire G. Coleman. Moderator Declan Fry.

The Bogong

The Bogong is a celebration and sharing of crafted spoken word pieces and the final event of the festival. Nardi Simpson, SJ Norman, Declan Fry, Tara June Winch, Victor Rodger (NZ), Emily Munro-Harrison, Nayook, Claire G. Coleman, Nayuka Gorrie.

The majority of events are free and bookings are essential.  This year, the festival will have in person and live streamed events.

Blak & Brightis proudly supported by Creative Victoria, the Australia Council for the Arts, the RISE fund and City of Melbourne.

---

Season Details

Venue: Blak & Bright
Date: 17 — 20 Mar 2022

For more information click HERE

Photo Credit: Tiffany Garvie