Regional Writers Rise Festival 2025
Our second Regional Writers Rise Festival, held on June 21 and 22, 2025, was a true celebration of Gippsland’s stories, creativity, and community. With Compassion as our theme, the festival created space for connection, reflection, and bold creative expression: both in person and online.
More than 130 community members joined us across the weekend, alongside our dedicated Federation University Professional and Creative Writing interns, mentors, and supporters, all contributing to the festival’s vibrant atmosphere. From workshops and author chats to online storytelling and thought-provoking conversations, the festival brought together emerging voices and established writers to share the diverse stories that shape our region.
If you missed the festival, or want to revisit some of the moments, you’ll find recordings, photos, and feedback from the 2025 program below. This is our way of keeping the festival accessible, and celebrating the people and stories that made it so special.
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A Heartfelt Thank You!
We extend our deepest gratitude to everyone who made the Regional Writers Rise Festival such a success. A special thanks to our 2025 Federation University Interns, whose dedication and creativity was central to the festival’s achievements.
We also want to thank our incredible mentors, industry partners, and festival supporters, whose knowledge and guidance were invaluable when bringing the festival to life.
Most importantly we want to thank the writers, readers, and community who joined us in celebrating the power of diverse voices. Everyone’s passion and spirit helped to create a lively festival celebrating the regional writing community. We couldn’t have done it without you and we look forward to seeing everyone next year!
Regional Writers Rise Festival Terms and Conditions
Free Exchange of Ideas
The Regional Writers Rise Festival (RWR) champions the free exchange of ideas and values diverse opinions and perspectives among our staff, artists, audiences, and the communities we serve. We foster a space where words hold power.
We ask everyone involved with RWR—on stage or as audience members—to approach discussions with curiosity and compassion. While we advocate for freedom of expression and self-determination, we strictly prohibit bullying, violence, bigotry, discrimination, and racism on all RWR platforms, both in-person and online. This standard of respect applies to all participants, including artists, staff, audiences, volunteers, partners, donors, and funders.
Event Attendance
By booking a ticket or attending an event, you agree to take responsibility for your own safety and property, releasing RWR and its officers, directors, employees, consultants, licensors, suppliers, and agents from any liability for any damage, loss, or injury you may suffer in relation to your attendance. This clause is subject to applicable laws.
Event Guidelines
When attending an RWR event, you agree to:
Turn off any mobile phones, pagers, and similar equipment before entering any event.
Understand that RWR makes no representations or warranties regarding the availability of any sessions and reserves the right to vary, substitute, or withdraw advertised programs, speakers, and seating arrangements.
Accept that RWR is not liable for any claims, damages, compensation, losses, or expenses resulting from an event being cancelled, postponed, or changed.
Allow yourself to be filmed, taped, interviewed, photographed, or recorded (the ‘recordings’) for archival and marketing purposes related to the RWR event. You agree that RWR may use, publish, edit, incorporate, or otherwise exploit (and authorise others to do the same) any recordings as they deem fit, including for archival and marketing purposes. By booking a ticket, you grant implied permission to use the photos and recordings taken for these purposes, releasing RWR from any claims related to infringement of proprietary rights, invasion of privacy, violation of the right of publicity, defamation, or any other cause of action in relation to the RWR event.
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