The writers’ life – perhaps even more so than other artists – is a solitary one. So the individual and personal challenges faced both in the pursuit of one’s art and when dealing with the publishing and reading world at large are little understood in a collective sense. Liz Martin, CEO of Accessible Arts, leads a discussion into the reality and pathways for writers with disability or who are d/Deaf. Featuring Fiona Murphy (The Shape of Sound), journalist and musician Eliza Hull (We’ve Got This) and poet and author Gayle Kennedy (Koori Girl Goes Shoppin).

Thursday 19 May
4pm – 5pm
Carriageworks, Track 8
245 Wilson Street, Eveleigh

Free Event – No bookings required. This event will be Auslan interpreted.

For more details visit the Sydney Writers’ Festival website.

About the Speakers

Fiona Murphy
Fiona Murphy is an award-winning Deaf writer based in the Blue Mountains, NSW. Her work has been appeared in The Guardian, The Saturday Paper, Griffith Review, The Age, Kill Your Darlings, Big Issue, among many other publications. Her memoir, The Shape of Sound, was released in March 2021. It explores secrets, Deaf identity and sign language.

Gayle Kennedy
Gayle was Indigenous Editor/Writer at Streetwize Comics from 1995 to 1998. Her poetry collection Koori Girl Goes Shoppin was shortlisted for the David Unaipon Award, an award Gayle won in 2006 with Me, Antman & Fleabag. It was shortlisted for a Victorian Premier’s Literary Award, Deadly Award and commended for the Kate Challis RAKA Award. Gayle’s published 11 novels between 2011 and 2014. Gayle’s presented at writers festivals, NAIDOC events, and nationally and internationally on her experience with polio and disability in general. Gayle’s work has been published in Puffin, Currency, Ora Nui, Edinburgh Review anthologies, Southerly Magazine and Verity La, amongst others.

Eliza Hull
Eliza Hull is a musician, writer and disability advocate based in regional Victoria. She is a proud disabled woman, and the creator and editor of We’ve Got This: Stories by disabled parents, an anthology featuring writing from 25 Australian parents with disability. Eliza was recently the recipient of the Music Victoria ‘Amplify’ award, and the Australia Council National Leadership Award. She is also contributed to Growing Up Disabled in Australia and was a recent panelist and performer on ABC TV’s Q+A.

Liz Martin
With over 20 years’ experience working across the Australian arts and disability sector as advocate, musician, producer, project manager, trainer and advisor, Liz Martin is driven to contribute to an arts sector that is authentically representative, diverse, and accessible for everyone. Sydney-based, Liz Martin is an award-winning musician and Chief Executive Officer of Accessible Arts.

A Sydney Writers’ Festival event presented in partnership with Accessible Arts.

ENDS

Image description: Headshots of the featured authors Fiona Murphy, Gayle Kennedy and Eliza Hull, and event MC Liz Martin.