This week Arts Margaret River have made the inevitable but nonetheless devastating decision to cancel this year’s Margaret River Readers & Writers Festival which was scheduled to run from 15-17 May 2020.
In light of current public health advice regarding Coronavirus (COVID-19), and non-essential indoor public gatherings of more than 100 people, there is not a feasible way for the event to proceed given the current situation.
We are immensely proud of this year’s program, for which tickets were released just two weeks ago. While we are deeply saddened that we will not have the opportunity to deliver the festival to our reading & writing community, we must put the health and safety of our patrons, staff and guests above all else.
This is an unprecedented and challenging time for everyone and we recognise that the cancellation of this year’s festival will have a significant impact on the writers who were going to be a part of it, as well as our sponsors, many who are local businesses who so generously lend their support to our not-for-profit event each year.
We encourage our community and audiences to support the authors whose books were to be featured – head to the Margaret River Bookshop to buy them, and please support the local businesses who so generously support us. Treat yourself to some Voyager Estate and Vasse Felix Wines, head out to Cape Lodge for a scrumptious dinner, or to Morries for a yummy cocktail. The list goes on – check out our full list of 2020 Partners on our website. If you have booked accommodation, consider keeping it. Margaret River is still open for businesses and we are surrounded by so much natural beauty to enjoy.
The 2020 festival now provides a wide-ranging reading list featuring some of the country’s most ambitious and successful writers. Please follow our social media pages as we highlight, support and celebrate the work of these writers over the coming months.
Customers who purchased tickets for the 2020 Margaret River Readers & Writers Festival are currently being reimbursed for their tickets via their original payment method.
If you would like to make a tax deductible donation to the festival, you can to do so from our website, or call us on 08 9758 7316 (Mon-Fri, 10am-4pm) and you will receive a receipt as well as our heartfelt thanks. Funds received will help to assist Arts Margaret River to get through this tumultuous period after which we will again bring you engaging, inspiring and accessible arts events such as the Margaret River Readers & Writers Festival.
We are very grateful for the loyalty and understanding of the arts & literature community – and most importantly to the readers who make this event what it is – a fabulous celebration of storytelling and ideas. We wish you well during this time and look forward to seeing you at the festival in 2021.
From the Festival Team & Arts Margaret River
For further information, please contact Arts Margaret River on 9758 7316 or visit the festival website www.mrrwfestival.com
The State Government is proud to support the Margaret River Readers and Writers Festival as part of its Regional Events Scheme.
The project is also supported by the Australian Governments regional arts program, the Regional Arts Fund, which gives all Australians better access to opportunities to practice and experience the arts. The Regional Arts Fund is administered in Western Australia by Regional Arts WA.