BY JAMES CARTER
The Newcastle Writers Festival has received a $200,000 federal grant to develop a Hunter creative writing program for primary school students.
A team of writers will work with schools on short and long term creative writing projects and boost literacy rates across the region.
Festival director Rosemarie Milsom said the grant will provide much-needed seed funding for the Story Hunter program.
“Before the pandemic we welcomed 3000 primary students in Newcastle and Cessnock to events each year and demand long ago outstripped our capacity to deliver more programming,” she said.
“We recognise the need to support under-served schools in our region and provide opportunities for children to develop their creative writing skills. In the decade since the festival was established, our goal has remained constant: to support the local literary community and this includes the next generation of writers. It is more important than ever given the impact of COVID-19 on young people. We hope Story Hunter will provide an innovative and engaging creative outlet.”
The program will incorporate local Aboriginal language and work with community leaders to ensure the program is culturally appropriate.
The Federal Government’s Restart Investment to Sustain and Expand (RISE) Fund is part of the government's Arts and Cultural Development Program and was implemented in response to the impact of COVID-19 on the arts sector. The fund supports artists and organisations through the delivery and presentation of activities across all art forms.
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| Popular children's writer Matt Stanton at the 2019 Newcastle Writers Festival Image : Chris Patterson |
