Hobart has long sought global recognition for its literary scene, with UNESCO talks dating back to 2016. A 2018 bid was voted down by the Hobart City Council.
But, in a city known for its arts and culture, it didn’t take long to turn the tables: in January, a new Hobart City of Literature Working Group was formed to campaign for the status yet again — and this time, it was successful.
A cross-section of Hobart’s literary leaders joined the working group, with members hailing from the local council to state libraries, Fullers Bookshop, TasWriters, and Brand Tasmania.
Bestselling author and creative writing academic Dr Lucy Christopher joined as a representative of the University of Tasmania, helping to develop proposals for City of Literature activities that could support and inspire local writers. Naturally, she is “beyond thrilled” about the validation.
“There are some amazing City of Literature initiatives in store for the people of Hobart — ones that will celebrate our original storytellers, our connection to Antarctica, and our commitment to our young people especially — and I can’t wait for it all to get started,” Dr Christopher said.
Cultural activities including storytelling can contribute more than $100 billion to the Australian economy in a year — though it’s rarely local writers who reap the benefits.
In Australia, authors earn on average just $18,200 a year, with Australia Council funding for literature having decreased by 40 percent in the decade leading up to 2022.
Ms Hortle questioned whether this could be “something the State Government or Hobart City Council want to be thinking more flexibly or proactively about” in light of cost-of-living pressures.
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