WestWords Daffodil Cottage Residency
We are thrilled to announce a brand-new initiative — the WestWords Daffodil Cottage Artist Residencies, situated in Katoomba, in the Blue Mountains. First-round applications open now.
WestWords Academy
Applications are now open for places in the 2021 WestWords Academy! Closes 5th March.
LGBTQIA+ Writers’ Group
WestWords’ LGBTQIA+ writers’ group Parramatta starts 17 February at 6:30 PM
After School Creative Writing
Enrolments Now Open for 2021. Still on Zoom! A chance for your kids to learn from the professionals! A Creative Kids Eligible program!
Female Orphan School Writer-in-Residence
We are proud to announce Laura Greaves as the inaugural Writer-in-Residence at the Female Orphan School.
Eating Our Words @ Parralanes
For Parralanes 2020 WestWords was commissioned to present a series of stories and poems about food. Enjoy three courses of delectable words from Aishah Ali, James Roy, Christina Donoghue and projection artist and animator Junee Lee
We won in WSABE 2020!
WestWords has won the Commonwealth Bank Excellence in Arts & Culture award!
Announcing the 2020 Western Sydney Emerging Writers’ Fellowships
We are excited to announce the 2020 WestWords Copyright Agency Western Sydney Emerging Writer Fellows are…
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Tasty As!
For five sessions over three weeks award-winning writer James Roy worked with the Year 6 students at Bidwill Public School in the Mt Druitt area to assist them telling their stories – because kids love stories. We all do!
smile ‘cross the oceans
Celebrating the culmination of the first year of our African Australian Literature Development Program comes an anthology of their stories, insights and experiences.
Vice Regal Patronage for WestWords
WestWords is thrilled to announce the joint Vice Regal Patronage by The Honourable Margaret Beazley AO QC, Governor of New South Wales and Mr Dennis Wilson.
WestLit Libraries
WestLit Libraries is a partnership between WestWords and Western Sydney Zone libraries. WHAT’S ON Dec 2020 – Feb 2021
Poets’ Corner
Poets Corner for February features Paul Heatherington. Tune in live on You Tube.
Finding the Edge Pieces
From the crackling edge of Sydney’s north-west edge this publication proudly represents the dedication and creativity of The Ponds High School Creative Writers Guild.
lights on
The inaugural publication from WestWords LGBTQIA+ writers’ group.
2020 Mayoral Creative Writing Prize
2020 Mayoral Creative Writing Prize The Blacktown Mayoral Creative Writing Prize 2020 was open to adults and children who live in Blacktown city. Entrants wrote a short story or poem responding to the theme of The Whole World at Home. The total prize pool was $1,600. In 2020 we received a total of 363 entries across all the […]
Reflecting on the 2020 WestWords-Varuna Fellowships
Reflections from WestWords-Varuna Fellows 2020
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Blake Poetry Prize Winner Announcement!
This year the Prize attracted over 480 entries from across Australia and internationally from countries including Phillipines, The Netherlands, China and the Republic of Congo. Congratulations to the eight shortlisted poets!
BOOKTOBER
Booktober an overwhelming success in raising funds to help disadvantaged kids, thanks to you.
Where Happiness Hides
WestWords is proud to have been apart of Dirt Lane Press’ COVID-19 response to publish Where Happiness Hides online in approx. 35 languages.
Inspired In_Syd Stories
At the beginning of this year, Inner Sydney High School opened its doors to a group of excited year seven students ready to begin their adventure into high school. The founding of the IN_SYD Writers Club was an important of the development of the school. Read their work here!
WestWords YouTube Channel
A new reading from Wai Chim from her book ‘The Surprising Power of a Good Dumpling’
The WestWords Podcast
Keep up to date with WestWords fortnightly news, interviews and featurettes with The WestWords Podcast.
Mini Master Class
Bite-sized conversations with professional writers, poets and editors, focusing on different aspects of story and writing.
One Week in December
For one week in December Cherrybrook Technical High School’s entire Year 10 cohort of some 470 students had chance to work with twelve exceptional writers. This is what they wrote.
Creative Kids Program
WestWords is now a registered provider for the Creative Kids program! Claim your $100 Creative Kids voucher and enrol your kids in a new activity today!
A Priceless Opportunity for Illustrators
And the winner of the WestWords Pinerolo Illustrator in Residence is…
2020 Blacktown Mayoral Creative Writing Prize
Entries have now closed. Winners will be announced at the presentation ceremony on Thursday 3 December 2020 at 6 pm to 7 pm.
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WW-WSU Writer in Residence Program
Congratulations to Rawah and Kavita!
Writing and Illustrating workshops for kids
Join Martin Chatterton, Jodie McLeod and Eloise Short (Leonard the Lyrebird) and Erin Gough (The Flywheel, Amelia Westlake Was Never Here) for pre-recorded (and completely free) 1hr workshops, available on the WestWords YouTube channel.
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COV-art: WestWords Fundraising Auction
Our online fundraising auction of beautiful illustrated works to continue to build our children and young people’s literacy skills and provide a pathway of literary opportunity raised $10,590! Thank you to everyone who participated.
A Thousand Words Exhibition
Ten emerging Western Sydney writers and artists respond to some of most compelling photographic images from the rich collections of Sydney Living Museums and the State Archives in this new exhibition.
African Australian Literature Development Program
The African Australian Literature Development Program is a new initiative to support, develop, share and celebrate the richness of the stories of African Australians within the multi-cultural context of Western Sydney.
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WestWords Writing Consultations
From what you submit to us we will select the best person for you from our bank of experienced authors, illustrators and editors to give you the guidance you need. A Creative Kids Eligible program!
Blake Poetry Prize 2020
Entries have now closed for the Blake Poetry Prize. Judging is now underway!
What Matters?
What Matters? writing competition is now closed. Watch this space for winners and runner ups.
Birds of a Feather
On exhibition digitally at Campbelltown Library in December and ‘live’ in Hawkesbury library in February
An Ordinary Day
During Term 4, Stage 2 students and their teachers from St Nicholas of Myra, Penrith worked with writer Jodie McLeod and illustrator Eloise Short.
33 South, 150 East
Over the course of three Fridays, in some of the most intense heat Katoomba has ever seen, the students of Katoomba High School worked with the fabulous Catherine Jinks, to create stories of place – places of the heart; of sadness, love, hope and joy.
Northreads Vol. 2
Northreads Vol 2 is another anthology of short writings from Northmead Creative and Performing Arts High School.
Think It Up – Write It Down
During Term 3, WestWords undertook a residency with Year 4 students and their teachers from St Francis of Assisi Primary School in Glendenning. Undertaking the weekly workshops was the wonderful Amelia McInerney.
WestWords-Varuna Residency
Congratulations to the 2019 WestWords-Varuna Emerging Wriers in Residence!
2019 Mayoral Creative Writing Prize
Congratulations to all winners and runners up of the 2019 competition. Click here to read all the successful submissions.
Word of Mouth
Word of Mouth is the culmination of a series of writing workshops where participants from refugee backgrounds developed their stories.
2019 WestWords-Pinerolo Illustrator in Residence
Congratulations to Christina Huynh, 2019 WestWords-Pinerolo Illustrator in Residence!
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Beast. Belly. Beast.
Peter Maple’s BEAST.BELLY.BEAST delves inside the minds of two ex-servicemen suffering the repercussions of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
Postcard stories
In 2018 WestWords was approached by CAPAH: Citizens Action Penrith Affordable Housing to work with them so that they can write their stories…
Alive 90.5 FM
WestWords will be on Alive FM 6pm-8pm, Wednesdays fortnightly with Aparna Vats.
Western Sydney Writers’ Rooms
WestWords offers writing spaces at accessible prices at our Parramatta WestWords Centre for Writing.