Wollongong Writers Festival team up with local politicians to deliver politics and poetry like you’ve never seen them before!

With the Wollongong Writers Festival coming up, we invited their marketing team to give us an insight into one of the highlights. Take it away, Kayla!

Back for it’s third year, Wollongong Writers Festival is set to take a new twist and flavour to the creative community. With the release of their 2015 program last week, it is easy to see that the festival has grown into bigger and better things.

Festival Director Chloe Higgins spoke about what some of the interesting dynamics taken by the festival this year are. “This year’s program is spread over two weeks (18-29 Nov 2015). The core program (Nov 28 & 29) focuses on ideas-based events and established artists and will be held at Wollongong Art Gallery. The surrounding events, a great mix of experimental and emerging events and artists will be held all over town —at Jane’s, Dicey Riley’s, Three Chimneys and Art Arena.”

One of the highlights for the festival this year is the Polling Booth Slam, which will be held Wednesday November 18. The Slam will see an interesting take on Politics and its delivery with a fusion of art and political issues. Local politicians will be paired up with performance poets, who together will work collaboratively to delve into new ideas. Nothing is off limits – from the personal to the political and everything in between. Some of the dynamic duos to hit the Polling Booth Slam stage include: Lord Mayor Councillor Gordon Bradbery, teamed with local performance poet Elliot Cameron; Deputy Lord Mayor Councillor Chris Conner, with Emily Crocker; and Councillor David Brown partnered with Kate Pimblett. With an array of other collaborations, the Polling Booth Slam will be an event not to miss.

Ann Martin who is both a poet and councillor is spoke about what her involvement in the festival, the Polling Booth Slam in particular means to her. “Art making in this country takes guts, determination and lots of time. I take time away from art making and poetry, and writing in general to be a councillor. I would like to think that everybody understood the beauty and power of good poetry.”

For more information, including event venues and pricing visit http://www.wollongongwritersfestival.com/event/ for details and the program.