“We wanted to develop a range of experiences that were out of the ordinary,” Dempster continues. “Melbournians go to events all the time and we wanted to present something new, different and unusual, something that connects writers and readers in an unexpected way. ‘Connect and explore’ is our theme this year and we want to encourage people to do something outside their comfort zone, to encourage Melbourne Writers Festival-goers to share and discuss their love of reading and story-telling. Lit Hop is a vehicle to discover new authors; new genres, perhaps try something new. Obviously with someone like Salman Rushdie you want a lecture; traditional structures have their place but unusual situations can lead to a connection between writers and readers.”
Whose idea was Lit Hop in the first place? “Lit Hop was dreamed up by producer Vikki Woods, who had been inspired by similar events in other cities around the world. She and I agreed that a festival was the ideal place to launch a Lit Hop and the event has emerged from those discussions. We talked a lot about taking people on a literary journey, and about making writing fun! It’s really about going on a tour of words and ideas through the streets of Melbourne.”
Was it hard pulling it together – what were the biggest challenges in making it happen? “Oh, no harder than any other event where you have to pull together multiple authors, venues and modes of transport!” answers Dempster with a laugh. “Pulling this together did require a lot of coordination and planning because it has a number of stops, obviously, and so we wanted to ensure it ran smoothly and logically and there are exciting events at each ‘hop off’. The whole thing grew out of a big mishmash. So many people had input, and there are about 50 artists involved in the event. We matched the curators to the venue – it’s a new concept, it’s uncharted territory so it’s a leap of faith. I think it’s come together perfectly – I’m very proud of it. It will be an explosion of love on the day!”
Has Lit Hop been hard to sell to festival goers? “Not at all – Melbourne Writers Festival-goers want to explore new ideas in new ways, and Lit Hop is a unique and fun way to engage in literature. We’ve been really pleased with the interest in this event so far. “
Might it be true that punters are needing more and more gimmicky events to get involved with writers festivals overall? “I don’t think ‘gimmick’ is the right word,” Dempster answers. “Festivals of all kinds are best when they are experimental, innovative, experiential spaces. There are so many fantastic literary events in Melbourne throughout the year. Melbourne Writers Festival is an opportunity for those audiences to do something new, like discovering a new writer or trying a new activity. So the team has worked really hard to make sure our events are out of the ordinary, to bring a bit of festival magic to this literary city.
Is there any pressure on her to think up cute and fun things for people to do during the Writers Festival that takes the focus away from books and reading? “We are always looking for new and different ways to engage with Festival-goers,” Dempster replies. “We have more than 400 guests this year, from across Australia and the world; authors, experts, musicians, journalists, illustrators, commentators…and we are presenting events in a range of ways so there is something for everyone.”
Is there a chance that MWF is becoming more youth focussed? Or are all ages participating in these sorts of events? “We do run a Schools’ Program as part of the Festival which is designed to connect children and teenagers with writers and thinkers, to get them reading, writing, illustrating and asking questions,” says Dempster. “The Melbourne Writers Festival is for everyone – all ages, all interests. This year, we’re covering everything from local issues to international debates, music to food, politics to poetry, and everything in between. We work very hard to make sure there is something for everyone and more than 100 of this year’s events are free.”
BY LIZA DEZFOULI
