Event and Ticketing Details
Dates & Times
Thursday 21 February
6:15 PM - 7:15 PM
Once the Apple Isle, Tasmania’s size and isolation made it the butt of mainland jokes. But those qualities – and its stunning natural environment – are now seen as major advantages. And the buzz (and tourism) generated by MONA, and the island’s new identity as a research hub, suggests times are changing. Favel Parrett, Jo Chandler and Scott Rankin talk Tassie to celebrate Griffith Review’s Tasmania edition, with its editor, Natasha Cica.
Featuring
Favel Parrett
In 2011, Favel Parrett's career was launched with her critically acclaimed debut Past the Shallows. A heart-breaking novel, it was sold internationally, shortlisted in the prestigious Miles Franklin Award and won the Dobbie Literary Award. Favel herself won the ABIA Newcomer of the Year Award in 2012. Her next novel, When the Night Comes, was also critically acclaimed and further consolidated Favel's reputation with booksellers and readers. Favel's short stories have been published in various journals including Island, Griffith Review and Wet Ink. There Was Still Love is Favel's eagerly awaited third novel.
Natasha Cica
Natasha Cica is director of the Inglis Clark Centre for Civil Society at the University of Tasmania, which advances the university’s community engagement and thought leadership agenda. In 2012 she was awarded an inaugural Sidney Myer Creative Fellowship.
Just 12 Australians were selected for these fellowships from over 300 nominations, with regard to two criteria: outstanding talent and exceptional courage.
Natasha has worked as a lawyer, political adviser and policy analyst in Europe and Australia. She was the founding editor of newmatilda.com and established the consultancy Periwinkle Projects.
She has commented widely on Australian culture and politics, including in the Australian, the Age, the Australian Financial Review and on ABC TV’s Q&A. Her recent book is Pedder Dreaming: Olegas Truchanas and A Lost Tasmanian Wilderness (UQP, 2011).
Natasha has previously contributed to Griffith REVIEW, and co-edited the Tasmanian-themed issue with Julianne Schultz.
Jo Chandler
Jo Chandler is an award-winning freelance Australian journalist, author and editor. She has filed news and features from assignments across sub-Saharan Africa, Papua New Guinea, rural and remote Australia, Antarctica and Afghanistan. She has earned distinctions as an essayist, profile writer and narrative journalist, and is recognised across a range of specialty areas: science; environment; health; human rights; aid and development.
Jo teaches journalism at the University of Melbourne and is editor of The Citizen.
Jo worked for much of her career at the Age, culminating in roles as a Fairfax senior writer and roving national and international correspondent. In 2009 she earned a Walkley Award for commentary and analysis for articles generated by trips to the Democratic Republic of Congo and Mozambique.
Scott Rankin
Scott Rankin is a writer, director and the creative director of Big hART. He is currently making new work in the Pilbara WA, Tasmania, NSW, ACT, NT, SA, as well as international touring works.
Big hART is Scott’s passionate contribution to art and society. Now in its 21st year of designing and delivering multi-discipline, community-specific, long-term projects with complex, multi-layered dramaturgies, the company has won many awards – eight Coalition of Australian Heads of Government (COAG) Awards, a World Health Organization Award, the 2008 Myer Performing Arts Group Award, an AFI and many others.