1994
Another year, another location. But this fantastic one was to last: the Writers' Centre made its last move to date: to the funky East End, at 187 Rundle Street, City. Click 'where we're at' above for pictures of the exciting new venue launch. Visit the other links to read up on the years' range of seminars, workshops, events and youth publications, for 1994, the year of change.
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Events
February / March 1994
A Festival of New Writing Performed
Poets, prose writers, playwrights and comedians descended in intimidating numbers upon Cafe Tapas, for an exciting festival season of New Writing Performed.
For a mere $25, attendees sampled a banquet of fine Spanish cuisine, and enjoyed the entertainment.
On the program were: Sara Dowse, Gary Crew, John Emery, Moya Costello (pictured left), Carmel Bird, Dorothy Hewett, Graham Rowlands, Helen Chryssides, and several 'wild card' international writers who lurked mysteriously in the audience…including Robert MacCrune.
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Moya Costello performing |
Robert MacCrune, British Writer |
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March 1994
Poets on Popeye
You're sitting, wine glass in hand, a plate of cheese on your knees, looking out across the river as the sun slowly dips behind the city skyline. Gentle poetry and the lap, lap, lap of the water against the boat.
Where are you?
On Popeye during the festival of course!
For two nights in March, the Popeye was inhabited by poets Roger McGough, Komninos, Mike Ladd, Sharon Olds, Fay Zwicky, and Martin Johnson.
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Mike Ladd: local poet |
Sharon Olds: |
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November 1994
New Writing Performed #2
Literary enthusiasts and participants partook in the second season of New Writing Performed. The venue again was Cafe Tapas, at 242 Rundle Street, City.
The program included Nan Witcomb, Margueritte Hann Syme, Jeff Guess, Chris Tugwell, Lauren Williams, Steve Evans, Emma Sleath, Verity Laughton, John Webster Gordon, Dorothy Portor, Samela Harris, Gillian Rubinstein, John Cussadia and John C. Byron.
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Gillian Rubinstein |
Pio, Victorian poet |
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Seminars & Workshops
April 1994
Tapping Creativity Seminar
A panel of four expert speakers advised writers on the common grievance of staring at a blank piece of paper for hours on end, or focusing on just one of the million ideas running around in their head.
Attendees were advised on how to use the left and right side of their brains effectively in their writing, and how to tap into their intuition, and channel their creativity.
The four speakers were Peter Bishop, Beverly Malin, Paul Bennett, and Peter Willis.
South Australian writers taking part included Moya Costello, Barry Westburg, Jeri Kroll and John Emery.
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Peter Bishop, lecturer in the School of Communications, UNISA |
Peter Willis, lecturer in Adult and Community Education at UNISA, taps into the right side of his brain |
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August 1994
Non fiction seminar
On August 27 the Writers' Centre hosted an all-day seminar on non-fiction writing. The topics of freelance journalism, travel, cooking, gardening and history writing were covered by an acomplished panel of writers, editors and publishers.
September 1992
Judith Rodriguez at Poetry Seminar
On Saturday 17 Septemer, highly respected NSW poet Judith Rodriguez headed a panel of five SA premier poets for an all-day seminar on writing and publishing poetry.
December 1992
Novel Writing
Four professionals, each with expertise in a different area of writing, lead a seminar on novel writing, held at the SA Writers' Centre.
Guest speakers were Marian Halligan, Louise Adler, Tony Shillitoe, and Eleanor Nilsson.
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Marian Halligan: writer |
Louise Adler, publisher with Reed Books. |
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Youth
1994
dB Young Writers
The SA Writers Centre's youth writing initiative continued, with monthly youth writing published in dB Magazine.
Where We're At
Vital Stats
Membership: around 900
1994 saw the SA Writers' Centre welcoming a new committee:
Chair: Tess Brady
Jeri Kroll, Caroline Macdonald, Bill Marsh, Jeanne Mazure, Peter MacNamara, Jim Roberts, David Cookson, Eleanor Bastion.
1994 saw the move to new premises on Rundle Street, within the Malcolm Reid building. The formal opening was on 27 September, in what is described as a 'glittering literati launch'.
The Honourable Diana Laidlaw, Minister for the Arts launched the new venue. Launch attendees included Ninette Dutton and Jeanne Mazure.
December 1994 sadly saw the farewell of the Writers' Centre's publicity and promotions officer, Di Brown. Di was sadly farewelled at the annual St Lucy's party, who wrote upon leaving that the Writers' Centre 'continues to get better at working within the community of writers and artists that it serves'.
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Half of the new committee… |
…would not be complete without the other half! |
Di Brown: a sad farewell |
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Hon Diana Laidlaw |
Ninette Dutton |
Jeanne Mazure |
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The SA Writers' Centre is assisted by the South Australian Government through Arts SA, and the Commonwealth Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory bodies.