2000
Welcome to the 'naughties', SA Writers' Centre! The Centre celebrated the year with the usual host of events, seminars and a stack of youth occasions: follow the links above to find out more. Highlights of the year included Colin Thiele's 80th birthday and Sean Williams winning the 'SA Great Award for Literature'. Another Fringe meant another Writers Caf, which was enjoyed by all.
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Events
February 2000
SA Writers' Centre's Preview to Writers' Week
Members of the Writers' Week Committee discussed the works of writers who were visiting for the 2000 Festival of Arts.
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Katharine England |
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February 2000
Writers' Week
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Administrator Stephanie Luke and Director Barbara Wiesner sit behind a table at Writers' Week |
SA Writers, guests of Writers' Week, proudly wear their badges. |
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March 2000
Fringe Writers' Caf
Another fringe, another Writers' Caf! The 2000 Caf was described as a relaxed, yet inspiring environment for writers to perform their work, read their poetry, discuss their books, hold book launches, or raise issues on anything to do with writers and writing.
Complete with PA system and lighting to really set the mood, each evening was compered by local personalities and writers.
Of course, one would never be enough.
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Writers Caf postcard |
Mick Bocchine at March Writers' Caf |
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August-September 2000
Fringe Writers' Caf
Writers' Caf was reprised at Cafe Koko, over three nights across August and September.
August 28 featured Aviva Sheba, Samith Pich, Gert Admiraal and Margaret Brusnahan.
September 4 featured Samela Harris, Simon Behenna, Miranda Bradley, Sue Pratten and Steve Evans.
September 11 featured Sean Williams (pictured left), Enken Hagge, Corey Stewart and Jan Owen.
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Aviva Sheba at August Writers' Caf |
Sean Williams at September Writers' Caf |
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November 2000
Fringe Writers' Caf
Writers' Caf continued though Spring 2000, with two further Cafe Koko Cafs, and an exciting involvement in a Coffee Festival, held at Carrick Hill, Springfield.
13 November featured Peter Goldsworthy, Elaine Barker, Patrick White and Holly Ball.
20 November featured Martin R. Johnson, Stephanie Luke (pictured left), Heidi Lunn and Peter Gelling.
26 November at Carrick Hill featured Elizabeth Mansutti, Nan Witcome, Juliet Paine and Rory Harris, at South Australia's first Coffee Festival.
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George Arhontoulis and Peter Gelling at November Writers' Caf |
Stephanie Luke at November Writers' Caf |
Peter Goldsworthy at November Writers' Caf |
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March 2000
Poets on Popeye
Writers enjoyed the tranquility of the River Torrens at twilight on Popeye, Adelaide's treasured pleasure boat. Attendees tasted local wines and cheese while enjoying readings by locally, nationally and internationally renowned poets Jude Aquilina, John Kinsella and Matthew Sweeney.
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John Kinsella |
Jude Aquilina |
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August 2000
Meet the Authors
The SA Writers' Centre hosted a free evening where attendees had the chance to meet authors James Bradley and Mardi McConnochie.
Those who chose to also attended a banquet dinner at Koko's Cafe, Rundle Street.
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James Bradley and Mardi McConnochie |
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Publications
dB Young Writers continues
2000 continued the tradition of exciting contributions to this publication from emerging young writers.
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dB Young Writers. |
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Seminars & Workshops
March 2000
Meet a London Agent
Thanks to Arts SA, the SA Writers' Centre had a London agent, Derek Johns, at the SAWC on Monday 6 March. At 2000, Derek had been an agent and director at A P Watt Agency for seven years, and had also been an editor at Random House in New York, Publishing Director of Harrap in London, Managing Director of Bodley Head and Managing Director of Granta.
May 2000
Writer Mentorship Scheme 2000
Thanks to funding from the Australia Council's Emerging Writers Initiative, the SA Writers' Centre received funding for six mentorships. Eva Sallis and Sean Williams worked with writers in the field of adult fiction and Gillian Rubenstein provided support for writers working in the field of children's writing or young adult fiction.
November 2000
The Writers, Agent and Publisher Seminar
In this seminar, the whole issue of writing and getting published was tackled by key players: local writers Meg Caraher and Catherine Johns (pictured left), Sydney based literary agent Garth Nix and commissioning editor at Pan McMillan, Anna McFarlane.
The seminar was aimed at helping writers who needed help in researching more thoroughly the publishing market, in order to find their niche.
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Catherine Johns |
Garth Nix |
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Youth
Young Authors' Night
Young Author's night 2000 featured Ian Bone giving the keynote address.
Writers' Caf: youth involvement
Samith Pich and Enken Hagge were invited to read at Writers' Caf, 2000, a great opportunity and experience for young writers.
Country Kids Workshop
This event continued from 1999, with hosts Christine Harris and Amanda McKay.
Fellowship grant
Juliet Paine received the Colin Thiele / Independent Arts Foundation fellowship of $6000. She joined a long list of successful writers who have been on the editing team of the SA Writers' Centre dB Magazine's young writers' program.
Pilot program: Writers' Clubs
In 2000, young writers clubbed together to hone their craft! The SA Writers' Centre supported young South Australian writers by arranging for seven successful writers in their twenties to spend six weeks helping students in seven different schools to form Writing Clubs.
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Ian Bone |
Samith Pich |
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Workshopping |
Juliet Paine, pictured with Minister for the Arts Diana Laidlaw |
Where We're At
Vital Stats
Membership: 1050.
Chair: Ruth Starke.
Committee: Peter McNamara, Ruth Starke (chair), Luke Whitby, Sue Fox, Junice Direen (Deputy Chair), Rob de Kok, Janeen Brian and Sean Williams (Treasurer).
The annual St Lucy's Party was combined with the announcement of the winners of the 'One More Draft, Please!' Awards. Ewart Shaw (pictured left) announced the winners at the party. The 'Ron White' kitchen was also opened at the party, by Kokos owner Ron White (pictured left), who had helped the SAWC with their catering needs over many years.
2000 also saw an update to the SA Writers' Centre's website, thanks to Jason Bootle of Pop Gun Graphics and Matt Scales of Megalomedia.
2000 also saw an addition to our staff: Bel Schenk (pictured left) joined the team in her position as an Administration Trainee. Speaking of additions, our library continued growing: Librarian Silvia Muscardin is pictured left, working on it.
Congratulations to Sean Williams, following in the footsteps of Gillian Rubenstein and Max Fatchen in receiving the prestigious SA Great Award for Literature during the South Australia Day celebrations in December 2000.
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Board of Management: part 1 |
Board of Management: part 2 |
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Ewart Shaw |
Bel Schenk |
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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.