Newcastle Writers Festival is seeking support for our unique Story Hunter program to foster the next generation of Australian writers. We are seeking local businesses and individuals to ‘adopt a class’ and help Story Hunter reach more students, especially those in need.

What is Story Hunter?

The curriculum-aligned program was developed in late 2021 in response to Covid-19 as a way of engaging primary students with creative writing after lengthy periods of home schooling. Story Hunter recognises storytelling as a vehicle not only for developing literacy skills, but for connecting with land and community, for communicating ideas, solving problems, and finding joy in creative expression.

This program is unique to the Hunter region and takes trained local authors into primary schools to deliver engaging, play-based writing workshops that develop creativity and literacy skills. 

Why support the Story Hunter program?

Research shows that young people from low SES areas are less likely to participate in arts, culture and musical activities, either at school or within their local communities (Mission Australia, 2016), but “there is an intimate relationship between local economies, community wellbeing, the vitality and liveability of regions and towns, and arts and cultural engagement” (Mackay et al, 2021). We will specifically work with young people who would
otherwise have limited opportunities to participate in creative writing programs, due to cost and/or transportation constraints.

CLICK HERE for more information.