Ubud Writers & Readers FestivaL 2013

Dear Friends, This year Ubud Writers & Readers Festival is bringing its program to you with events across Indonesia, starting in Jakarta with... Women of Letters In a world of the short & swift, of texts & Twitter, there’s something special about a carefully composed letter. In homage to this most civilised of activities, Marieke Hardy & Michaela McGuire present Women of Letters. Fresh from sell-out shows in New York & Los Angeles, Women of Letters presents a series of events for the first time in Indonesia. Women of Letters events & workshops will be presented by UWRF in collaboration with the Salihara Literary Biennale (Jakarta), bringing together two of Indonesia’s most high profile literary events. Leading Indonesian & Australian women writers will share their stories through the art of letter writing at events in: Jakarta - Thursday 3 October 7:00pm  - 9:00pm Komunitas Salihara, as part of the Salihara Literary Biennale Jl.Salihara No.16, Pasar Minggu, Jakarta Selatan, Jakarta Yogyakarta - Saturday 5 October 4:00pm - 6:00pm Langgeng Art Foundation Jl. Suryodiningratan 37, Yogyakarta - Yogyakarta Ubud - Saturday 12 October 5:30pm - 7:30pm Indus Restaurant, as part of UWRF Jalan Raya Sanggingan, Ubud - Bali Featuring - Anne Summers, Alphamama, Ayu Utami, Clare Bowditch, Emilie Zoey Baker, Khairani Barokka, Kirsty Murray, Laura Jean Mckay, Lionel Shriver, Lisa Febriyanti, Okky Madasari, Olin Monteiro, Robin de Crespigny & Shamini Flint. This year we pay homage to Kartini returning to our first theme Habis Gelap Terbitlah Terang - Through Darkness to Light. Honouring Kartini’s legacy we are bringing prominent women writers from across the world to discuss the universal issues affecting women: rights, education & health. The Women of Letters events are a perfect match for the 2013 Festival theme & presents a unique opportunity to unite the women of Indonesia & Australia through the act of letter writing. Prior to the events in Jakarta & Yogyakarta, Australian writer Laura Jean McKay will host a free workshop: To whom it may concern: letter and story writing Letters tell stories. Whether real or made up, letters hold character, voice, the said and (most importantly) the unsaid – some of the key elements of story telling. In these two-hour workshops participants will write stories through the medium of letter writing, using both real and imagined voices and drawing from memory, fantasy and examples of famous letters (both fictional and actual) to explore the similarities and differences between personal and fictional forms of writing. Please mark these dates in your calendar & I hope to see you there. For further information & booking visit our website www.ubudwritersfestival.com The Women of Letters tour is supported by the Australian Government through the wonderful folk at the Australia International Cultural Council, an initiative of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. For more workshop highlights – read on!