Residents

Victorian Writers' Centre

The Victorian Writers’ Centre is the leading provider of resources, information and skills development for Victorian writers, providing support and promoting writers, writers’ networks and the diverse writing cultures of Victoria.

The VWC runs more than 200 workshops, courses and seminars on all aspects of writing and publishing, engaging writers at all levels of development – from emerging and developing to established. The Centre runs year-long courses, master classes, short courses and information-based seminars and forums.

A not-for-profit membership-based organisation, the VWC has a dynamic website, regularly updated to report activities in the writing community, and provides its members with a regular magazine and a weekly e-bulletin. Its manuscript assessment service is one of the most respected in Australia. It also provides significant discounts on its activities for members of the VWC.

As a resource centre for writers, the VWC has a reference and lending library; sells a range of books on the craft of writing; offers writers studios at Glenfern (St Kilda East) at economical rates and residencies at Rosebank Retreat (Macedon Ranges).

A highly-skilled staff assists writers with specific questions, and when it can’t help, refer to someone who can provide the expertise.

Emerging Writers' Festival

The Emerging Writers' Festival (EWF) exists to promote the interests of emerging writers, to improve their opportunities for professional development and their engagement with the broader public. The Festival mixes emerging literary professionals with more established writers to forge a better understanding between the past and future of Australian writing, and to bring a high level of intellectual endeavour to all the Festival's activities.

Each year the EWF works with a small group of writers and industry professionals with strong local and national networks to ensure that festival programming remains relevant to the needs of emerging writers, and that appropriate writers are invited to the festival.

SPUNC

SPUNC, the Small Press Underground Networking Community, is a representative body for small and independent Australian publishers.

Formed in 2006 to promote independent publishing and support the principle of diversity within the publishing industry as a vital component of Australian literary culture, SPUNC now represents more than 70 small publishers around Australia and is fast becoming a critical resource for the creation and promotion of new literary work.

Express Media

Express Media provides support and development opportunities for young Australians in writing and media, recognised as the peak organisation for young writers in Australia, it presents an annual artistic program that aims to develop creative skills and build capacity among young people.

It is a national, not-for-profit, incorporated association founded in 1985, the UN International Youth Year.

Australian Poetry Centre

The Australian Poetry Centre is a not-for-profit association established to promote reading, writing and publishing activities associated with Australian poetry in all of its forms.

The APC aims to strengthen the presence and profile of Australian poetry within Australia and abroad, as well as promoting the writing, reading, and appreciation of poetry as an integral part of personal and community life.

Melbourne Writers Festival

The Melbourne Writers Festival (MWF) is an internationally acclaimed festival, with the main programme situated in the heart of Melbourne at Federation Square and featuring over 300 writers from around the world.

The MWF opens the 10 day season with a keynote speech at the Melbourne Town Hall. Recent keynoters have included Tim Flannery, Germaine Greer, Clive James, Dave Eggers and Augusten Burroughs.

Special events include a series of master-classes, workshops and seminars for emerging and experienced writers as well as the popular ‘Big Ideas at RMIT Capitol Theatre’.

The programme for 2010 will be announced in mid-July, and sales from the festival box office open at the same time.

Melbourne PEN

The Melbourne PEN Centre is one of 145 centres worldwide. Members are united in a common concern for the art of writing and freedom of expression. The Melbourne PEN Centre focuses on writers in prison, reconciliation, women writers and international work especially in the Asia and Pacific region.

Overload Poetry Festival

Overload Poetry was formed in 2002 to bring Melbourne’s vibrant poetry scene into public view through an annual festival based around the regular readings. The festival grew into a 16-day event showcasing the best poets from Australia and overseas. Since 2004 Overload has hosted poets from Canada, Holland, Ireland and New Zealand, and the 2007 festival involved 96 poets and performers in 49 events and 26 venues across the city. In 2008 Overload welcomed a new management committee and director. Under new direction the festival has been compressed into 10 days (featuring 80+ poets), skype has been introduced to facilitate an international reading and a publicity company contracted to give the festival professional visibility.