“A thought piece – ‘My Earth’ and what that might mean to an author – seems the most accessible form of literature. It’s an easy form of writing and where everyone has something to say,” he said.
“We wanted something that complemented our Concert for the Earth – ‘Yibunga dja, ba guragurug’. Literally, ‘To go smiling on the earth and sand’.
“It’s not academic, not an essay, no references required; it’s not constrained as a form like poetry or short stories are, although poetry and short stories would also be accepted and welcomed. Just write what you think about what you want.”
People keen to enter must produce a submission of between 500 and 750 words and then upload it to the Art is… website, artiswimmera.com.
A judge will assess the submissions and select seven winners for publication and podcasts as well as an overall winner.
Participants must have a connection with the Wimmera as defined as The Weekly Advertiser’s distribution area and to be under 18 when the competition closes if they want to enter the youth category.
People can submit any questions on an online entry page or email them to myearth@artis.wimmera.com.au with entries closing on May 20.
Mr Shaw said the competition presented a rare opportunity for budding authors.
“What does any author want more than to be read? The Weekly Advertiser goes to about 22,000 homes across the Wimmera and a prize of being chosen and published is significant,” he said.
“I love that The Weekly Advertiser, in collaboration with radio stations 3WM and MIXX FM, are also going to make winning entries into podcasts, using those beautiful voices they have on radio to turn thoughts into sounds.”
Mr Shaw said the festival had adopted a theme for the next few years that acknowledged that Art is… FUNdamental.
“Fun is core to that. We are also focusing on one of the elements each year,” he said.
“In 2022 that’s Earth, and our shows, our visual arts, our commissioned installations and our performances are tied into that theme and that element.
“My Earth can mean just about anything.
“It can involve talking about something personal that happened in a place that you associate with; what a land-holding means, viscerally; about the planet, and what it’s facing; about a patch of earth anywhere and how that calls to you across time and space; a hook to hang just about any emotion or thought on – it’s full of possibility.”
The entire April 6, 2022 edition of The Weekly Advertiser is available online. READ IT HERE!
