The SCBWI banners might be re-furled and the band packed away but one thing remains: the verve of another successful gathering of local and international professionals in an enthusiastic exchange of knowledge, art and creative joie de vire; like the scent of summer blooms lingering on a balmy summer’s night.
Spread over three days of book launches, conference sessions and master classes, this year’s Australian NZ Conference drew attention from around the world with keynote speakers from the US, international critique sessions, and featured a spectacular Illustrators Showcase not to mention, the non-stop networking!
Ably organised and run by SCBWI RA, Susanne Gervay and her committee of never-say-never volunteers, the conference went off without a hitch. If you want to relive every glorious moment and sift through the sessions again or couldn’t make it this time around and are curious to see what all the fuss was about, visit our Conference Blog, compiled by yours truly and made possible by the tireless efforts of our SCBWI Roving Reporters team.
Meantime here’s how it all added up:
120 packed into The Children’s Bookshop at Beecroft to see 9 authors launch their latest and greatest works
260 delegates converged in the Novotel Central for the One Day Conference
60 publishers, agents, editors, art directors, designers visited the Illustrators Showcase
50 + portfolios were featured in the Showcase
135 delegates feasted together at the Dinner Dance - a few less actually danced the Nutbush
6 members of The Beatnickers Band played until just before midnight, which was just as well
13 Roving Reporters snapped, interviewed, scribbled and recorded every detail of the event
22 + posts have been generated for the Conference Blog
180 attended 6 Master Classes
100 + teachers, librarians, TLS and educators attended the Creating Creative Writers PD Day
6 committee members survived to see another conference
3 Showcase illustrators were awarded prizes from Penguin Random House and HarperCollins
countless numbers of volunteers jumped in to help, distribute, guide, time check, moderator and cheer
more than two glasses of wine were consumed (by this Reporter alone) to celebrate
Here’s the result of feeding hundreds of hungering creatives information for three days and some very tasty salmon! Entertainment a la SCBWI Band, The Beatnickers.
Now you see me…watch the video below for a round up of our colourful creatives attending the conference. Apologies if your face did not quite make it on the video. We could still feel your vibe in the room!
Thank you to all who came, conquered, presented, reported, shared, cried, laughed and danced. It’s been a conference rich in colour and creativity.
Stick around for some speed interviews and insights from our delegates and presenters, coming soon. Till then,
Rove ya later,
Dimity (aka Head Gardener)
#SCBWISyd
with thanks to Liz Anelli for supplying the illustrated images