• Title
  Jemma Birrell oral history interview by Catherine Freyne, 17 May 2018
• Creator
  Catherine Freyne
• Level of description
  fonds
• Date
  
  17 May 2018
• Type of material
  Nonmusical Sound Recordings, Oral Histories
• Reference code
  9611420
• Physical Description
  1 audio file (2 hr., 8 min.) - digital, WAV, stereo (48 kHz, 24 bit)
  
• ADMINISTRATIVE/ BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
  
  Jemma Birrell works in publishing. For almost seven years she worked at the historic bookstore Shakespeare and Co. in Paris, directing events as well as three editions of their literary festival. Jemma returned to Sydney at the end of 2012 as Artistic Director of the Sydney Writers’ Festival until 2016. Under her direction, the Festival widened its focus beyond literature to also include writers across music, film and television. In 2017 Jemma became Creative Director at Tablo, a self-publishing start-up, focusing on innovating the publishing industry and helping writers share their work widely.
  
  Reference:
  Library correspondence file
  
• Scope and Content
  Jemma speaks about her time as Artistic Director of Sydney Writers’ Festival and her prior professional experiences, particularly her years in Paris producing events programs at the historic bookshop Shakespeare & Co. She details her firsthand experience and challenges she faced with the Sydney Writers’ Festival program, including persuading authors to accept invitations, finding the right interviewers and broadening the scope and the audience for the Sydney Writers’ Festival to great success. She also discusses her childhood in Bowral and moving to Sydney at the age of 12, her love of books, enjoyment studying communications at UTS, and working in advertising and as a publishing assistant. The interview includes a description of Tablo, a self-publishing start up where she is now Creative Director, and what Jemma sees as its promise in the contemporary publishing landscape.
• Copying Conditions
  Copyright status:: In copyright
  Copyright holder:: State Library of New South Wales
  Rights and Restrictions Information:: Download available for research and personal use. Written permission required for public use.
  Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales
• General note
  
  Acquired in digital format. Access copy available online.
  Recorded on 17 May 2020 at Studios 301, 3B Ellis Ave, Alexandria, NSW
• Subject
  Publishers and publishing--Australia--Interviews.
  Art festivals--New South Wales--Sydney.
  Sydney Writers' Festival
  Birrell, Jemma--Interviews.
  Authors and publishers--Australia.
  
• Open Rosetta viewer
  IE19721402

View Media Files

1.

Show more