Williamstown Literary Festival

The Williamstown Literary Festival

The Williamstown Literary Festival is the West's own writers' festival, focusing on books, writing and drama, and produced by local volunteers with strong backing from Hobsons Bay Council and proudly supported by Victoria University.

The Festival ran from Tuesday 27 April to Sunday 2 May at the Williamstown Town Hall. Thank you to everyone who came along over the weekend, this year's Willy Lit Fest was a resounding success and we couldn't have done it without you!

Next year's Williamstown Literary Festival will run from Friday April 29 to Sunday 1 May, 2011, at the Williamstown Town Hall.

Make a donation

Willy Lit Fest is listed on the Register of Cultural Organisations. Any cash donation made over $2 is tax deductible. Click here for more details on how to make a donation.

Youth and Kids Events

Every year, with the help of our talented Youth Committee, we put together a series of events designed especially for young people.

Our Writing Competitions

Entries for the 2011 Ada Cambridge and Seagull Poetry prizes are now officially open! Writers of the western suburbs, this is your time to shine. The competition closes on 25th Feb 2011.

Melbourne Writers Festival 2010

Marking its 25^thanniversary this year, the festival will present over 400 writers from around the world through talks, debates, literary banquets, film screenings, gigs and workshops, as well as an engaging schools’ program.

At the heart of the festival is a showcase of brilliant creative writers, including Ma Jian, Miguel Syjuco, Fethiye Cetin, Catherine Lim, Joss Whedon, DBC Pierre, Emili Rosales and Barbara Trapido. A spotlight on crime writing will include appearances from Peter Temple, Val McDermid, Jake Adelstein and RJ Ellory.

New News 2010 will explore the future of journalism and kick off with a keynote by ABC’s Managing Director Mark Scott. And for beginning, emerging and established writers, there’s a series of workshops, masterclasses and seminars, including ‘Publishing...The Whole Shebang’.

The festival runs from August 27 through to September 5. For bookings and the full program visit www.mwf.com.au or call 03 9999 1199.

Ada Cambridge and Seagull Poetry Prizes now open for 2011!

green pencil It's the fourth of July today, and as citizens of the United States of America celebrate with shows, games, sports, flags and flagons, bells, bonfires and illuminations, writers in the western suburbs of Melbourne can today spark their own bonfires - those of the imagination. Two of the most significant and exciting features of the Willy Lit Fest - the annual Ada Cambridge Prize for biographical short story writing and The Seagull Poetry Prize - are now offically open to submissions.

Each year these prizes, which are unique to the Festival, give local scribblers another opportunity to strut their literary stuff. The competitions are open to any writers and poets who live, work or study in the west.