BYRON WRITERS' FESTIVAL NOW A TOP NATIONAL EVENT

The Vice-Chancellor of Southern Cross University, Professor John Rickard, has congratulated the organisers of next week's 2001 Byron Bay Writers Festival for planning an event that has become a major drawcard within a few years of its founding.

"Showing a great deal of creativity and commitment, the Festival team has again attracted an impressive array of the nation's leading writers and publishing industry figures," Professor Rickard said.

"The Byron Bay Writers Festival is now one of Australia's top cultural events, bringing together people producing works in both prose and poetry, as well as film, and enabling them to share their experiences with the public in one of the country's most idyllic locations," he added.

SCU was delighted to again be a Principal Sponsor of the Festival, the VC said. "The North Coast's regional University is especially pleased to have strong involvement by our staff and students, especially those from the School of Humanities, Media and Cultural Studies which coordinates our creative writing program."

Professor Rickard will address the Festival's opening night dinner where the special guest speakers are George Negus and Lonely Planet travel publisher, Tony Wheeler.

"Amongst the enjoyable offerings at this year's Festival is the launch of the latest volume of the Coastlines anthology of writing by SCU students, which is published by Southern Cross University Press," he said.

"In addition, a number of our academic staff are involved with Festival sessions and workshops, which further highlights the natural synergy between the University and a major cultural event such as this."

The 2001 Byron Bay Writers Festival runs from Thursday, 2 August to Sunday, 5 August at the Byron Bay Beach Resort. Details at www.nrwc.org.au