[English] Melbourne 'City of Literature'

[stephen at melbpc.org.au]

by Jason Steger 
August 20, 2008 

www.theage.com.au/national/melbourne-hooks-the-books-20080819-3y9b.html

The timing could hardly have been better had it appeared in the final 
chapters of a best-selling thriller.

Three days before the opening of the Melbourne Writers Festival, UNESCO 
has named Melbourne as its second City of Literature. Edinburgh became the 
first in 2004.

The United Nations' cultural arm responded to an ambitious bid by the 
State Government that has as its centrepiece the establishment of the 
Centre for Books and Ideas at the State Library of Victoria.

Arts Minister Lynne Kosky said the decision was confirmation of the value 
of a lot of people who have been working in the literature industry - 
writers and publishers and those who support writing and publishing.

"It gives confirmation to them not only about the work they've done but 
the quality and also the importance of their work to our city and why they 
are a critical component of it. 

Also what it (the decision) does is celebrate literature as an important 
art form, and through the centre we will continue to grow that interest 
and art form."

The Government announced the UNESCO bid in late 2006 and committed about 
$9 million in the 2007-08 budget to support the writers' festival, repair 
work at the library and to fund the bid. 

This year it added a further $10.4 million. More than $3 million of that 
has been earmarked to fit out the new centre, and a further $7.2 million 
will develop a program of events and activities at the centre.

Ms Kosky said there were not many places internationally, and nowhere in 
Australia, that had a comparable space for literature and ideas..

"Melbourne is becoming very well known for its creativity. This just 
indicates that we have breadth in the creativity as well," she said.


The centre will provide a home for a variety of literature bodies, 
including the Melbourne Writers Festival, the Victorian Writers Centre, 
the Emerging Writers Festival and the Australian Poetry Centre.

Ms Kosky said she expected the centre to open in the middle of next year. 

A committee representing the groups involved was being established, she 
said, and it would appoint a director.

Steven Carroll, author of The Time We Have Taken, the winner of this 
year's Miles Franklin Literary Award, said it confirmed that Melbourne was 
the cultural centre of Australia.

"Melbourne has over the last century inspired some of the greatest works 
of Australian literature. There is just something about the place - just 
think books by the likes of Hal Porter, George Johnston, Miles Franklin 
and Helen Garner."

Penguin chief executive Gabrielle Coyne said the title could not go to a 
better city..

Rah Melburbs
Stephen Loosley
Victoria Australia