In line with the Local Councils of Mundaring, Joondalup and Swanbourne who support the Katherine Susannah Prichard, Peter Cowan and Fellowship of Australian Writers WA Writers Centres, we are hoping to establish the Vincent Writers Centre with similar status, and ideally a pepper corn rent heritage base, to fall in line with the exciting plans of making the City of Vincent the State’s leading Arts Centre. Vincent Writers Centre has been in existence for over a year and provides a CBD base that connects with the earlier mentioned Writing Centres. WA Poets Inc. has been supportive of our efforts and has provided the essential backup in risk management, professional expertise and financial supervision.
Initially Vincent Writers Centre offered assistance in all fields of writing centre activities namely, developing literacy skills, job applications, public speaking engagements, trauma resolution, building self-confidence and self-worth, and of course creative writing.
With over thirty applications for membership Vincent Writers Centre covered most of those areas but have settled into a core of creative writers, mainly mature and retired but also with several high school leavers and university students, working in the genres of memoirs, poetry, short stories, scripting and radio drama.
In one year, with bare-bone facilities, participants at Vincent Writers Centre
- created an impressive anthology with a well-attended launch.
- performed a radio sketch on KCR 102.5 FM.
- established relations and exchange with Nepal, Broome, Singapore and Sarawak.
- published articles in the Perth Voice and Fremantle Herald.
- held workshops with well-known writers such as Ken Kelso, Andrew Burke and Sue Clennell.
- worked with the Oral History section of Vincent Library on communal work regarding Fitzgerald and Angove Street.
- performed at the Perth Poetry Club that meets on Saturdays at the Moon Cafe.
- supplied the bulk of the stories/poems for the Perth Voice series Summer Reading winning a weekly award, including a cash prize.
In short, the Vincent Writers Centre consists of beginners, emerging and established writers of all backgrounds and educational levels aiming to enhance and develop their writing skills. Seniors and retirees in search of an enjoyable pastime, such as developing a memoir for their own family to possible professional publication, will find our group supportive.
Due to arts bodies having had funding severely scaled down over the last few years, the City of Vincent has only been able to cover the rental costs of the Vincent Writers Centre for a single two hour session each week. It is hoped that as finances improve, the number of sessions will increase thereby making them more specific and needs catered.
Currently Vincent Writers Centre meets on Thursday mornings in the
North Perth Town Hall, Lesser Hall
26 View Street (approach from Charles Street)
10 am to 12 noon
A $5 donation per session helps cover the cost of support materials, tea, coffee and biscuits.
Membership is currently free but WA Poets Inc membership is advised.
To become a WA Poets Inc member click here
To enrol or make enquiries, email the Co-ordinator, Peter Jeffery OAM
Vincent Writers Centre is supported by;
