Bendigo Writers Festival’s new pop-up venue! The Big Top in the Dudley House garden, right in the heart of the festival precinct.

All activities in the BIG TOP are free to attend, no ticket required, with a full schedule of local authors, storytellers, poets, songwriters and performers each day.

SUNDAY PROGRAM

11:00am
Fiona White - The purple poppy: a small symbol with a big purpose 
The purple poppy is worn to remember all the animals who have served in war and peacetime. Fiona White will be sharing her picture book, "Wear a Purple Poppy", then running a craft activity to create poppy posies and badges. 

11:30am
Louise Cooper - 'Welcome Neurokin, I am Autistic' 
Join Louise Cooper, Autistic Autism consultant and founder of Australia's first and to date only neurodiversity arts festival, as she explores the intricacies of the Autistic experience through her brand new book 'Welcome Neurokin, I am Autistic'. This socially engaged book was illustrated by Mount Alexander Shire's Autistic community. With more than 1 in 25 Australian children being Autistic, this book is the perfect, strengths-based way for parents to introduce the conversation to their children, and the perfect way for classrooms to welcome children of every neurotype into their social and learning environment. Most of the pages include a question suitable for asking children, learn how to have these conversations in a neurodiversity affirming way. Louise holds a Graduate Certificate in Autism Studies from Griffith University. 

12:00pm
Creative Communities - No Longer on Mute
No Longer on Mute was a program developed by the Creative Communities team at Bendigo Venues and Events as a way of amplifying young people’s voices as we came out of the COVID lockdowns.  It began as a public art program which then turned into a book featuring the thoughts, statements and other words of 93 aged 3 to 25. 
Three years later, this session sees participants revisit the project, which continues to move, inspire and entertain us. 

12:30pm
Louise Cooper - Banjo Bilby Postcards' 

Banjo Bilby has just adventured all the way to the Atherton Tablelands in search of a good story to bring back and share. He found that places both big and small, by the beach, through the valleys and plains and at the tops of mountains had many interesting stories to hear, but where could he find one of his very own?

Join Louise 'Rockabilby' Cooper for a sneak peek into Banjo's latest adventures, hear about his previous small schools big adventures and make a postcard of your own sharing a story from your very special place in this world. 

1:30pm
Erina Reddan - Secrets, Lies and Cults: what’s hidden in a writer’s brain 
It wasn’t until after Erina had finished her crime thriller novel, Deep in the Forest that she realised that while she hadn’t joined a cult, maybe she’d been born into one! 

2:15pm
Jacob Bleier and Riley Bruce (of Broad Parade Band) 
Acoustic performance of 3 original Broad Parade songs written by Jacob Bleier and Riley Bruce, and discussion of how and why the songs were written.