EWF19 Podcast

Welcome to the EWF19 Podcast!

Hear from artists who feature throughout this year’s program as they ponder the many ways to have a writing career, how they take care of themselves while also taking care of their work, what they hope their art will set up for those coming after them and more. In a special behind the scenes glimpse into EWF, a discussion with the programming team also features, where they unpack the nuances of festival organisation as well as what excites them about this year’s program.

EWF19: The Critic

Controversy has often courted the role of the critic – sometimes personified as a miserly cynic out to destroy, rather than elucidate, enrich or enlighten. But criticism is a vital part of our creative arts ecology – both an art form in its own right, as well as space within which many practicing artists engage in meaningful discourse with their peers.

In this episode, we explore the role of the critic – both as a mode of discourse, to be engaged in with care, and as an internal force to be reckoned with – but not always dismissed.

We spoke to actor and writer Carissa Lee about the place and value of arts criticism, caring for your community in criticism, and the ways in which your own arts practice can inform and enrich your criticism.

We also spoke to writer, artist and poet Madison Griffiths about overcoming your inner critic, as well as the ways in which this inner naysayer can be useful and productive.

EWF19: Writers’ Other Jobs

When we say ‘financial stability’ you probably say ‘what the hell are you talking about, I’m a writer!’ The grind of making sure you can pay your rent as well as make work is real, and we’re all guilty of biting off more than we can chew sometimes.

There are as many different ways to be a writer as there are writers in the world. In this episode we looked at how to balance work with more work, learning your limits and the gear shifts required when you have multiple different forms of labour on your plate.

We spoke to wearer of many hats, including writer, editor and union representative, Marisa Wikramanayake, about her many roles and when it’s probably a good idea to start using the word “no”.

We also heard from essayist and critic Cher Tan who shared with us an excerpt from her zine “to all the shit jobs I’ve worked before” and spoke about the ways in which jobs and writing may not always be one in the same thing.

EWF19: Influence

From the concept of a social media influencer to the ways in which art and artists impact one another, influence is a word that seems to have taken on many new meanings, particularly in the digital landscape. In this episode, we look at the notion of influence – where it can be found and how it can be used.

We spoke to creative influencer, book reviewer, photographer and all-round lover of words, Tamsien West about social media as community, fandom and YA.

We also heard from Darlene Silva Soberano who shared with us their poem “You Like The Smiths?” and talked about the influence of place, time and popular culture on life and art.

EWF19: Writing Rituals

What makes a routine or a ritual, as opposed to something you simply ‘do often’? Is there some kind of emotional weight? Or perhaps it is simply a dedicated commitment to a practice. In this episode, we explore rituals as they appear in everyday life: as routines, as commitments and as artistic practices.

We spoke with Kōtare and Matka, the masterminds behind Precog, a clubbing experience dedicated to community space and sensory, bodily experience. They discussed the purposes of clubbing as a ritual and a space for connection, “creating futures for outsiders”.

We also heard from writer, performer and dream archivist, Manisha Anjali. Manisha spoke to us about dream documenting and the importance of committing to one’s imagination. She also read her poem kala pani, originally commissioned for Pearlescent Verse.

EWF19: The Future

Welcome to the future. This year, the Emerging Writers’ Festival invites you to speculate with us – to consider the possibilities of the future and the consequences of today. In this episode, we spoke to one of our favourite future visionaries Timmah Ball about the future of our cities and environments, and the place storytelling plays in the construction and actualisation of these realities. We were also interested in what visions of the future the EWF family has, and so we asked, “Can you tell me about the future? What does it look like there?”

EWF19: Making it happen!

Curious about what goes into making EWF happen every year? Hear from three quarters of the EWF19 Programming Team, Aisha Trambas, Izzy Roberts-Orr and Ruby-Rose Pivet-Marsh as they discuss their interests, motivations, inspirations and pathways to curation.