What's On

An incredible opportunity to spend a full day accessing some of the best Australian Young Adult authors for potential young authors of the future. Suitable for students in years 10, 11 and 12, these workshops are not HSC or curriculum based but focused on the creative writing process with ample opportunity for students to write during the workshops. The focus is for students to have the opportunity to be immersed in the writing process.

A Human Library is a library where real people are on loan, creating a safe, conversational space where topics are discussed openly between a 'human book' and a reader (community member). Each human book is a distinctive story that details their lived experience of belonging, diversity and inclusion. Come find out first-hand about some of the unique life stories of people living in your Bathurst community.

Based on the best-selling memoir by award-winning journalist Shannon Molloy, Fourteen is the inspirational true story of growing up in central Queensland (it could be Bathurst), transformed into a powerful must-see theatre production by nationally acclaimed Shake & Stir Theatre Co.

Shannon Molloy is a year 9 student at an all-boys, rugby-mad Catholic school in regional Queensland (it could be Bathurst), with a secret that no one can ever find out. This performance is for secondary schools - Stages 5 and 6.

Humans have been sharing stories with one another for forever. The kind of stories we have told have taken many forms full of imagination and creativity. As storytelling is a performance, Sharp Short Story aims to encourage not only the writing of new stories but also the theatrical presentation of those stories. Suitable for Stages 3 – 6.

Hear from broadcaster and Phosphorescence author Julia Baird, whose latest book, Bright Shining, is a beautiful, timely exploration of that most mysterious but necessary human quality: grace. With Jacqueline Maley.

Hear celebrated author Viet Thanh Nguyen, hailed as “a conscience of American literature” (The New Yorker), discuss his new work with writer and broadcaster Benjamin Law.

Put the courts on trial with lawyer turned Olivier Award–winning playwright Suzie Miller as she discusses novelising her theatrical triumph that tackles sexual assault. In conversation with Nicole Abadee. Suzie Miller is an Australian contemporary international playwright, screenwriter and novelist. Prima Facie is her first novel. Her work has been produced around the world, winning multiple prestigious awards, including the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Play 2023 for her smash hit one-woman play Prima Facie, which had a sold out season on London's West End and Broadway New York.

“I seek a kind person who will educate my intelligent boy, aged 11.” An extraordinary 1938 personal advertisement that started Julian Borger’s quest into his father’s past and the story of Holocaust survival. With Michaela Kalowski.

Imagine another world with popular fantasy authors Garth Nix (The Old Kingdom series), Shelley Parker-Chan (The Radiant Emperor duology) and Samantha Shannon (The Roots of Chaos series). Hosted by Aimée Lindorff. 

Enjoy an evening with bestselling author and beloved country cook, Sophie Hansen, in-conversation with Peter Harrison (Fish River Roasters), about her latest cookbook, What Can I Bring?. Hear about the beautiful, seasonal recipes from the book, the local friends and cooks who inspired them, the process behind bringing the book together, and lots more!

Swoon with K Patrick (Mrs S) and Christos Tsiolkas (The In-Between) in this beautiful discussion of romance, desire and the pleasures of writing queer love stories. With Madeleine Gray.

The quest for a life worth living has been the business of philosophers for millennia. How can we pursue answers to life’s big questions in an increasingly unstable technological age? Join pre-eminent philosopher A.C. Grayling for this special talk.

With conflict continuing in Ukraine, and the death toll of journalists in Gaza reaching alarming proportions, we look at the role of journalists in war. Featuring Julian Borger, John Lyons, Alisa Sopova and Anastasia Taylor-Lind. Hosted by Hamish Macdonald.

Explore his writing and unpack the legacies of empire with acclaimed writer Abdulrazak Gurnah, whose 10th novel explores displacement, loss and love during and after German occupation of East Africa. With Sisonke Msimang.

Four waves in, the feminist fight for gender equality is far from over. This panel brings together the powerful and incendiary feminist voices of Hannah Ferguson, Sisonke Msimang and Jennifer Robinson. Hear from these leading writers and activists who between them offer daring feminist opinions on topics ranging from freedom of speech, right-wing politics, racism, xenophobia, belonging and identity, taboos around sex and pleasure, as well as the legal judgements that continue to silence and disadvantage women.

Sky Country: Join us for an evening with Gamilaroi astrophysicist Karlie Noon as she shares captivating insights into Aboriginal Sky Country. Karlie will lead us on a journey through the Indigenous cosmos, unveiling the profound relevance of ancient wisdom in navigating modern-day problems.

Celebrating the culture and creativity of the LGBTQI+ community one true story at a time, Queerstories has played to crowds big and small, from Mudgee to Murwillumbah, Albury to Adelaide, Brisbane and beyond. Featuring J.M. Field, George Haddad, Bebe Oliver, K Patrick and Samantha Shannon.

Sit down with New York Times bestselling author Celeste Ng, whose smash hit Little Fires Everywhere was adapted into a miniseries starring Reese Witherspoon. Listen in as she discusses her new dystopian novel with Claire Nichols.

Children’s illustrator Charmaine Ledden-Lewis is a proud Bundjalung woman, artist and illustrator. Her new illustrated book Ask Aunty - Seasons is a delightful and educational picture book for children aged 5 to 10 years that introduces First Nations seasonal calendars. Join Charmaine for a fun, creative and passionate family friendly session at the library, with live illustration demonstrations!

There’s always so many terrific books that pass us by whilst we’re reading other wonderful books. Enjoy hearing Jen Barry and Lisa Holloway chatting about some of the great books you may have missed in the last year and some to look forward to later this year.

Trent Dalton, award-winning author of Boy Swallows Universe (now a hit Netflix series) returns with Lola in the Mirror, a big, beautiful novel about grappling with our past, present and possible futures. In conversation with Cassie McCullagh.

Three wonderful crime writers, whose books are set in the Central West and Far West areas, explore why rural crime novels are so popular, and what makes them so good to write! Hear authors Aoife Clifford (It Takes A Town); James McKenzie Watson (Denizen), and Rhys Gard (Four Dogs Missing), as they chat with Jen Barry.

ABC legends Leigh Sales (Storytellers) and Lisa Millar (Muster Dogs) unpack the craft of turning real life events into narrative, drawing from their recent books and a combined 65 years in journalism.

Hear authors Tracy Sorensen and Kirsty Jagger discuss the ways in which their work as journalists has informed their successful writing journeys, and what lies behind their desire to write fiction.

Be transported by authors Francesca de Tores (Saltblood), Mirandi Riwoe (Sunbirds) and Abraham Verghese (The Covenant of Water) as they discuss the power of historical fiction. With ABC RN’s Kate Evans.

This year 2024 marks 200 years since Gudyarra (the Bathurst War) and the declaration of martial law on Wiradyuri Homelands, as well as 100 years since the formation of the Australian Aboriginal Progressive Association, the countries first politically organised Aboriginal activist group. As part of “Dhuluny 1824-2024 - 200 years of Wiradyuri resistance”, the Wiradyuri Traditional Owners Central West Aboriginal Corporation (WTOCWAC) invite you to reflect on stories of Wiradyuri resistance and Aboriginal political activism, with a panel featuring several important First Nations Elders, historians and activists who will consider how the long political resistance to colonisation should be commemorated, and how it continues to this day.

Sit down with Ireland’s Fiction Laureate Sebastian Barry and host Kate Evans to discuss the Booker Prize longlisted Old God’s Time, followed by a live performance of Kol Nidrei, Op. 47 by Max Bruch arranged for cello and piano with Melissa Barnard and Lee Dionne from the ACO. Sebastian appears via video link

This hugely popular feature of the local program sees booklovers reading the same book in the lead-up to the Festival weekend. Read the book then attend the event where a panel discusses the book selected for each year. For 2024, the Great Festival Read title is Girl in a Pink Dress by Kylie Needham. The panellists are Genevieve Carroll (Hill End artist); Maryanne Jacques (Arts OutWest); Paul Stafford (author and educator), and Jac Underwood (journalist and CSU Alumni). Hosted by Jen Barry. This session is followed by an In Conversation session with the author Kylie Needham at 10:30am.

Cheer on the athletes kicking goals for women’s sport. Olympic rugby gold medalist Chloe Dalton (Girls Don’t Play Sport), Australia’s most decorated cycling Olympian Anna Meares, and world champion pro-athlete Jana Pittman (Enough) chat with host Tracey Holmes.

Since publishing her book, Rebel Talk, The Art of Powerful Conversations in 2020 Jane Hutcheon is on a mission to talk about difficult conversations. In this invigorating, in-person, in-conversation group chat, the former ABC journalist and creator/presenter of One Plus One needs audience participation to help her unpack some difficult conversations with warmth, humour, candour and curiosity for an in-conversation about what it means to be human today.

Whether you’re well advanced with your writing project or at the beginning, this workshop will be fun and inspiring, and will give you a handy set of writing tools to take away, to use whenever you need a kickstart again.

Transform your understanding of human evolution with professor of archaeology David Wengrow, whose groundbreaking work with the late David Graeber overturns theories on the origins of farming, cities, democracy, slavery and civilisation itself. In conversation with ABC RN’s Richard Fidler.

The listening experience is such a rich one when you have a great audiobook. Find out what‘s involved in bringing them to life, what makes or breaks a book for both a listener and an author, and why they are so popular.

Hear about the role of emerging technologies in conflict and occupation with Walkley Award–winning journalist Antony Loewenstein (The Palestine Laboratory), artificial intelligence expert Toby Walsh (Faking It) and host Michael Richardson.