A hand-picked selection of local creatives are coming together to enjoy a night of readings on the theme of 'Hunger'.
Taking place at The Jade, a mix of writers, performers and creators will gather to share thought-provoking readings joined by an audience of passionate arts lovers.
Here, the group pen an open letter explaining the creation of 'The Hearth'.
“It’s late, it’s dark, it’s cold, it’s quite possibly 19th Century France. You might be an artisan, or a farmer, or you might just be interested in the latest gossip. You find yourself bundled up beside a fire, the flames leaping in the grate, listening to stories of village days and folktales, and you, too, have your say. 'Les veillées' were evening gatherings where people came together around the fireside to share stories, news, and gossip. From this tradition, 'The Hearth: A Night of Readings' draws both its name and the premise of sharing ideas through storytelling.
We’re four writers, book-lovers, and friends from Adelaide, and we formed 'The Hearth Collective' over a long winter of talking about books and writing by the fireside, stolen coffee dates amid hectic schedules, and hillside roaming in blustery weather. We had long, complicated dialogues about ourselves, our bodies, and the world around us, and we thought, what if we open this conversation up? What if, rather than having this conversation among four people, we had it among fourteen? Forty? More?
We’re four writers, book-lovers, and friends from Adelaide, and we formed 'The Hearth Collective' over a long winter of talking about books and writing by the fireside, stolen coffee dates amid hectic schedules, and hillside roaming in blustery weather. We had long, complicated dialogues about ourselves, our bodies, and the world around us, and we thought, what if we open this conversation up? What if, rather than having this conversation among four people, we had it among fourteen? Forty? More?
We wanted to create an event that celebrated intellectual engagement, a place where anyone with a curious mind would feel welcome. So we created 'The Hearth' as a night for sharing interesting ideas, spinning yarns, making friends, and sparking delight.
The deal is that we set a theme and ask artists and writers to respond. It’s magical to see readers finding surprising connections with one another’s ideas, and to watch audience members responding to things that resonate with them.
The deal is that we set a theme and ask artists and writers to respond. It’s magical to see readers finding surprising connections with one another’s ideas, and to watch audience members responding to things that resonate with them.
In a world where those in the arts are increasingly being asked to justify their worth in economic terms, we believe there’s still something artists have to say in this country that goes beyond ‘value for money’. There’s still a place to dissect and scrutinise our world, our culture, our ideals, in public discourse. There’s a true value in connecting warmly and openly with others. And that’s we want to see thrive.”
- Lauren Butterworth, Alicia Marie Carter, Emma Maguire and Melanie Pryor.
- Lauren Butterworth, Alicia Marie Carter, Emma Maguire and Melanie Pryor.
'The Hearth' takes place at The Jade 14 July.
