• Festival builds understanding and community through story sharing

The second Bathurst Multicultural Storytelling Festival 2020 starts Friday 20 March with five free events over three days in the city centre.

Mr Jock Cheetham (pictured), Director for the Bathurst Multicultural Storytelling Festival and Senior Lecturer in Journalism in the Charles Sturt University School of Communication and Creative Industries in Bathurst, said everyone is welcome to attend.

“The Bathurst Multicultural Storytelling Festival aims to engage the Bathurst community and foster social connection, understanding, and the sharing of stories and ideas,” he said.

“This is a privately run community festival that is free and open to all, with this year’s theme ‘How I Got Here’ aiming to build understanding and community through story sharing.”

The festival includes a photography and story writing competition, with a Tuesday 17 March deadline, with first and second prize valued at $250 and $100, respectively, for both categories.

Competition entries can be submitted online via the Bathurst Multicultural Storytelling Festival website. Entrants can submit one photo on the theme of ‘Connection’, or a written story (500-1,000 words) on the theme of ‘How I Got Here’.

There is also a People’s Choice Award. The winners of the writing competition prizes will be announced at the festival’s “How I Got Here” event on Saturday 21 March from 3pm to 6pm at the Bathurst Memorial Entertainment Centre.

The photography competition winners will be announced at the festival’s ‘Social Connection’ event on Friday 20 March at 5pm at the Uniting Church 1837 Hall, 140 William Street.

More details about all of the festival’s events are available on the Bathurst Multicultural Storytelling Festival website.

Festival events include:

• Cancelled - Neighbourhood Centre Lunch: Friday 20 March at 12pm
• Online event - Community Forum On Social Connection: Friday 20 March at 5.30pm.
• Cancelled - Wiradyuri Story Time: Saturday 21 March at 11am
• Online event - ‘How I Got Here’ story sharing: Saturday 21 March at 3pm
• Cancelled - Harmony Walk: Sunday ​22 March at 10am

Details of how to access the two online events will be available on the festival’s website and Facebook page on Friday.

This festival is funded by grants from Charles Sturt and Bathurst Regional Council and by donations towards the Neroli Colvin Storytelling Foundation, which honours Neroli’s memory and legacy and continues her work and vision.

The full Bathurst Multicultural Storytelling Festival program is available on the Festival’s website.