AFTS conference

One Month until the 2024 Conference!

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It’s ONE MONTH to go until our jampacked conference in Newport on August 3rd and 4th. There’s still plenty of time to register your in-person or online attendance! That’s right, if you can’t make it in person you can still join in with most of the online via Zoom.

We are thrilled to announce that thanks to the support of Hobsons Bay City Council through its Make it Happen Grants program, the opening sessions for each day of the conference will be open to the public!

That’s right, Michael Earp’s Keynote Address and our Special Guest Presentation from Jaeden Williams (Boonwurrung educator, and founder/director of Biik Bundjil) will be free for everyone to attend. PLUS Michael’s Keynote Address will be Auslan interpreted too.

However, spaces for both sessions will be limited so whether you’re coming to the whole conference or just the morning sessions with Jaeden and Michael, register now!!!

Register for the Full Conference (Single Day, Two Days, and Online) here.

Get tickets to the Keynote Address by Michael Earp here

and to our Special Guest Presentation by Jaeden Williams here.

(Note: if you’ve registered for the conference, you already have a place at the Keynote and Guest Presentation)

If you’re coming from regional Victoria, interstate, or even overseas(!) we have a handy dandy welcome pack to give you a starting point to find your way to the Newport Community Hub and other nifty bits of advice. You can download the welcome pack here.

We’re undergoing a little program revision, but start and end times will not change. Be ready to start at 9:45am each day, finishing by 6:30pm AEST and 4:30pm AEST on Saturday 3rd and Sunday 4th respectively. That gives you plenty of time to calmly plane, train, or automobile your way home. An updated conference program will be out very, very soon…

All AFTS members will have access to the recordings of conference sessions in the future, but if you have registered (regardless of whether you’re a member, and joining in-person or online) you will get access first. So what are you waiting for, get registered and get excited for a jam-packed weekend. We can’t wait to welcome you to Newport! 

And if you need a reminder, our fantastic conference artwork is by the brilliant Roslyn Quin (@roslynquinart)!

2024 Conference Bursary

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Greetings, fairytalers!

Melbourne is currently in the midst of creating the amazing Once and Future Tales conference on August 3-4.  Register here! 

We love getting together in person to share ideas, and enjoy each others’ company and because we are a national Society with a sprinkling of international members, some of you will be travelling considerable distance to join us.  

To make that a little easier for an existing AFTS member, we offer a bursary of up to $450 to pay for transport and accommodation and the helping hand of a local ‘fairy godmother/father’ to help you find your way around Melbourne.  

We want to offer this opportunity to someone who is 

  • part of our community
  • might need a boost to cover the costs of getting here
  • will use the chance of going to the conference to continue to invest in our Society.

If this is you, please apply on this form by 10pm Sunday 7 July. 

Good luck!
Australian Fairy Tale Society committee

Key dates for 2023 AFTS Award and Bursary

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2023 AFTS Award for Inspiration and Contribution to Australian Fairy Tale Culture

  • Nominate your candidate from April 24 to May 7.
  • The winner will be decided by popular vote between May 8 and May 15.
  • Nominees need not be an AFTS member, however nominators and voters must be current AFTS members.

At the 2023 Sydney Conference, we will again honour, by popular choice the person who has most inspired and contributed to Australian fairy tale culture.

To date, we’ve recognised the very different achievements of Belinda Calderone (2017), Dr Kate Forsyth (2018), Dr Robyn Floyd (2019), Lorena Carrington (2020), Louisa-John Krol (2021) and Jo Henwood (2022). Their names are engraved in our permanent Award, created by Spike Deane.

For 2023, we’re asking for your nominations, from which the finalists will be selected based on their body of work. This will have enduring significance due to its a) originality, b) influence, c) beauty or quality, d) depth of insight and breadth of scope, e) contribution to understanding of Australian fairy tales.

More details about the Award, and previous winners and finalists are here.

2023 Bursary – travel to the NSW conference!

  • The AFTS Executive will make a decision by May 14, 2023, from applications received between April 24 and May 8.

One AFTS bursary is on offer to a current member, who needs assistance to attend our Sydney conference. The bursary will cover a) transport and accommodation costs to $400, and b) a ‘fairy godmother/father’ as conference mentor.

Please note that the bursary holder is responsible for their own registration cost as detailed here. All best. We look forward to seeing you in Sydney!