Community Events
Programming with First Nations writers at the centre, always. We believe that Blak stories are for everyone. Explore our events below.
Memory Before Eyes: A Walking & Writing Workshop
Emerging Writers’ Festival and Blak & Bright are coming together for ‘Memory Before Eyes: A Walking & Writing Workshop’ on Saturday 13 September.
Join Taungurung Elder Uncle Larry Walsh and his daughter Isobel Morphy-Walsh for a meander through the arts precinct of the city, pointing out sites that link to the cultural memory of Naarm. From tales of museums keeping ancestors and the fight for their return, to sites of contemporary political and cultural action, to history being made, each turn will be a reminder that Country is layered with memory and survival.
Following the walk, Uncle Larry and Isobel will lead a writing workshop, taking inspiration from the history, memory and narrative that exists all around us.
This event is a pay what you can, but registration is a must!
Uncle Larry Walsh is a Taunwurrung Elder, cultural leader and storyteller. A pure storyteller, his focus on the oral tradition, is an important expression and make up of First Peoples culture. He wishes to express that First Peoples communities live as much in the modern world as intimately as they are connected to their past. His focus specifically on storytelling, ensures the cultural continuity of his peoples oral history traditions. He wishes to display that Aboriginal people live as much in the modern world as intimately as they are connected to their past.
Isobel Morphy-Walsh, a proud Nirim Baluk woman from the Taun Wurrung (Taungurung) people is at her core a weaver and storyteller. She uses many diff erent mediums and formats to weave story into both performance and visual art. Morphy-Walsh first production Gunga-na Dhum Nganjinu | The stories we hold tightly presented in 2023 at Yiramboi Festival she and her co-writers received a Green Room Award Nomination. Her first solo play Gunawarra was first debuted in November 2024 as part of Blak In The Room co-presented by Ilbijeri Theatre Company and Melbourne Theatre Company. She currently works as a dramaturge and independent artist.
Blak Ink: No Apologies
In a world crowded with voices, staying true to yours is radical. This is where fearless expression meets creative power. This is where writing without fear becomes an act of defiance.
What happens when you speak the truth, with no filter and no compromise? What world do we build when we stop apologising for our voice?
Join two of the most electrifying voices in Blak theatre - Kamarra Bell-Wykes and Carly Sheppard - for an evening that dives into the cultural, historical and political forces that shape our world. This is a celebration of Blak creativity and activism, tackling colonialism's lingering impact while offering a radical vision for healing and reclamation. Expect a night of storytelling that will inspire, provoke and ignite.
Tickets are free, click here to RSVP.
Blak Ink: Resilient Truth
Please note: This event has now sold out!
What does it mean to tell the truth when the truth has been buried? What does it mean to survive, to create, to resist and still to write?
Two of the boldest Blak voices, Tony Birch and Claire G. Coleman, come together for a night of storytelling, insight and truth.
From futures dreamed to histories exposed, these writers don’t flinch. They speak of survival and resistance with voices that won't stay silent.
Together, they’ll dive into the truths they carry, the words they choose to share and the worlds they’re fighting to imagine - and reimagine.
Tony Birch is a founding member of the Melbourne School of Discontent. He has published multiple novels including Shadowboxing (2006), Blood (2011), Ghost River (2015), The White Girl (2019), and Women & Children (2023). He is also the author of four short story collections, Father’s Day (2009), The Promise (2014), Common People (2017), and Dark as Last Night (2021), as well as the poetry collections Broken Teeth (2016) and Whisper Songs (2021). In 2017 he was awarded the Patrick White Literary Award for his contribution to Australian literature.
Claire G. Coleman is a Noongar woman whose family have belonged to the south coast of Western Australia since before history started being recorded. Growing up near Boorloo, now living in the hills near Naarm she writes fiction, non-fiction, drama and verse. Her widely acclaimed work includes Terra Nullius (2017), The Old Lie (2019), Lies, Damned Lies (2021) and Enclave (2022).
A BIG BLAK THANKS TO
The Bogong: Now Is the Hour
The Bogong is a celebration of Blak voices, where master storytellers breathe life into words, honouring the past and shaping the future.
Inspired by the ancient gathering of Bogong moths, this event is a modern feast of poetry, performance and truth-telling. With the theme Now Is the Hour, the performers call forth the spirit of resistance, resilience and renewal through the power of spoken word. They elevate the silenced, reclaim their narratives and affirm their survival. This is an event of fire and heartbeat.
Join these Blak storytellers as they honour the stories that refuse to be forgotten.
A BIG BLAK THANKS TO
Presented in partnership with Sydney Writers Festival
Yarn Bombs
Blak & Bright’s Yarn Bombers are bringing bold, fresh and unfiltered storytelling to Melbourne Writers Festival!
Deadly and creative First Nations writers will take to the stage with powerful pieces drawn from fiction and lived experience.
These urgent and electric voices need to be heard, so don't miss the chance to witness the next wave of Blak storytellers making their mark! Be there, feel it and let these stories move you.
Yarn Bomb performances will take place at 12pm, 1pm and 2pm.
This is a free event and no bookings are required!
A BIG BLAK THANKS TO
Presented in partnership with Melbourne Writers Festival
Caution! This Event Contains Deadly Reptiles
Are you ready to meet some deadly reptiles? Join Corey Tutt for a wildly fun and fact-filled adventure!
Corey Tutt, founder of DeadlyScience, bestselling author of The First Scientists, former NSW Young Australian of the Year and First Nations science and wildlife advocate, takes the stage at Abbotsford Convent for a mind-blowing journey into the world of Australia’s scaly critters.
Packed with mind-blowing science, rich First Nations knowledge, and stunning illustrations, Corey’s latest book, Caution! This Book Contains Deadly Reptiles is unlike any wildlife book you’ve read before. From lizards and turtles to crocodiles and snakes, Corey will share fascinating insights into Australia’s most scaly creatures – and what makes them deadly.
And you won’t just hear about reptiles... You’ll meet some, too! Corey will be joined by wildlife ambassadors from Reptile Encounters – Melbourne’s favourite mobile zoo – so you can get up close and personal with these captivating animals.
Tickets
$0.00 for First Nations Audiences
$22.00 for General Admission
A BIG BLAK THANKS TO
BLAK INK: Poetic Power
Welcome to Blak Ink, where storytelling gets real, raw and unapologetically Blak!
Beneath the Sky
This powerful free spoken word event is happening at Peppercorn Lawn along the Birrarung.
Yarn Lab
Formerly known as Education Day, Yarn Lab is Blak & Bright’s fresh take on learning.