Australia Council axes Asialink Literature Program

The program that enabled writers Geraldine Brooks, Peter Carey, Doris Pilkington Garimara, Kate Grenville, Thomas Kenneally and Tim Winton to champion Australian writing in Asia will be terminated in June.

The Asialink Literature Touring Program no longer has the funds to continue beyond mid-year.

"Unfortunately the key supporter of the program, the Australia Council, has decided not to continue its funding and the program is unviable without these core funds," Asialink said in an announcement yesterday.

The nine-year-old program was initiated in 1998 and had toured Australian writers to China, India, Japan, Korea, Singapore and Taiwan to engage with audiences and meet colleagues and publishers to encourage book and rights sales for Australian titles.

It had also had a strong focus on Australian children’s literature, with writers and illustrators talking to audiences, running workshops and having their original artwork on display in numerous countries.

Most recently, Asialink cast Australia centrestage in India’s Kolkata Book Fair as the theme country, and took a picture book and artwork exhibition to four venues in Beijing and Taipei.

The Asialink Literature Touring Program has toured 42 Australian authors, represented over 50 Australian publishers, displayed over 800 Australian books, sold rights to 90 books and drawn audiences of over 400,000.

Asialink has also worked with publishers overseas to produce local editions of major Australian titles for sale and distribution in Asia. It connects Australian publishers and agents to counterparts in the region via representation at and funding for participation in major trade fairs such as Beijing International Book Fair and Taipei International Book Exhibition.

The Asialink Writer in Residency Program remains unaffected, and information for 2008 places will be available in July.