Tues 24 June, 2025
7pm – 9pm (Doors open at 6.30pm)
Live @ The Founders Room
Salamanca Arts Centre
65b Woobys Lane, or for lift access enter through The Courtyard

$39 +bf General Admission
$35 Concession

Tuesday 24th June 2025
Doors & bar open at 6:30pm
Music commences at 7pm 

The Long Gallery
Level One, Salamanca Arts Centre
[ Enter via the main doors at 77 Salamanca Place, or take the Lift via the Courtyard ]

~~~~~

In this concert of two of the most-loved string octets, Chamber music leader, Peter Tanfield, will direct an ensemble of some of the best and most highly-regarded musicians in Tasmania, including:
(Violins) Peter Tanfield, Phoebe MaselNatalya Bing and Joshua Farner;
(Violas) Douglas Coghill and Damien Holloway,
(Celli) William Hewer and Kate Calwell.

You can read more about Enescu’s Octet here.

You can read more about Mendelssohn’s Octet here.

Tickets are only $39+BF, or $35+BF for concession card holders, and with a further discount offered to SAC Associate members.

Peter Tanfield was born in England in 1961 and started the violin aged four. He studied in Germany, Israel, Switzerland and Holland where his teachers were Igor Ozim, Felix Andrievski, Alberto Lysy, Herman Krebbers and Yehudi Menuhin.
He was a prize-winner at The Carl Flesch International Competition, International Mozart Competition, International Bach Competition amongst others.   As soloist and chamber musician he has played throughout Europe, China, Japan, India, Canada, the Middle East, Africa, USA, and USSR. He has recorded numerous solo and chamber works for television and radio as well as CD. He has played for Chairman Deng in China and the Sultan of Oman.

As soloist Peter has appeared with many major orchestras; the Philharmonia, City of London Sinfonia, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, West German Radio Orchestra, Radio Symphony Orchestra of the RAI in Rome, Scottish Chamber Orchestra.
As concertmaster, he has had extensive experience working with BBC Philharmonic, RSO RAI Roma, West German Radio Orchestra, London Sinfonietta, Scottish Chamber Orchestra. Some of the artists and composers he has worked and performed with: Astor Piazzolla, Charlie Watts, Pinchas Zukerman, Yehudi Menuhin, Charles Wuorinen, Arvo Paert, Graeme Koehne, Gary Carr, Itzhak Perlman.
Some of the conductors he has worked with are Carlo Maria Giulini, Claudio Abbado, Charles Dutoit, Louis Fremaux, Richard Hickox, Heinz Wallberg, Jun-Ichi Hirokami, John Adams, Oliver Knussen, Paavo Jaervi, Martin Brabbins, Gary Bertini, Georg Solti, Pierre Boulez, Simon Rattle.

Peter has been active as a teacher in Britain, Spain, Germany, Switzerland and Australia organizing, coordinating and delivering courses and chamber music programmes for festivals and youth organizations.
From 2002 to 2008 he was lecturer in violin and ensemble at the Tasmanian Conservatorium of Music, University of Tasmania. He was also Artistic Director of the Tasmanian Senior Youth Orchestra and the Derwent Symphony Orchestra, and has been Artistic Advisor to the Hobart Chamber Orchestra. Peter came to Australia in 1998 to lead the Australian String Quartet.  Until he left in November 2001 he dedicated himself to the quartet’s development and teaching at the university of Adelaide, expanding the ensemble’s national profile, making two films for the ABC and becoming the Artistic Director of the Adelaide Chamber Orchestra.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Please note that the Courtyard Lift IS OPERATING!

Doors & Bar open at 6:30pm
Music begins at 7pm

The Long Gallery
Level One, Salamanca Arts Centre
77 Salamanca Place 
Hobart.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This concert at Salamanca Arts Centre is supported by Arts Tasmania’s 2025 Arts Projects Fund.
Salamanca Arts Centre is grateful for this support via Arts Tasmania and the Minister for the Arts.

More Live at the Founders Room 2025
  • Events
  • Live Music
  • Performances
  • Salamanca Arts Curated
  • Salamanca Jazz

Salamanca Jazz

Ken Schroder’s Latin Jazz Sextet
Saturday 31 May 2025
Founders Room
View event

Opening Event:
Thursday 17 April 2025, 6:00pm – 8:00pm

Exhibition Dates:
Monday 14 – Monday 28 April, 2025

Monday – Friday 10:00am – 5:00pm
Saturday & Sunday 10:00am – 4:00pm

A representation across a collection of mediums of Artosaurus‘ core value: Make Art, Be Happy.

The Printer, the Painter, the Potter, and Maker is a collaborative assemblage of artworks created by Artosaurus resident artists, mentors, teachers, and Art Club members.

Presented by Tassie Indie Authors as a part of Hobart LitFest

Sat 12 April, 2025
10am – 3pm
Long Gallery
Salamanca Arts Centre

Come along and check out Tassie’s best independent authors. Something for everyone with a range of genres on offer. Meet the authors. Buy the books. Book signings and giveaways!

A showcase of Tasmanian Indie Authors from across the state. Books available to buy direct from the authors. Come along, meet the authors, and find your next favourite read!.
There is something for everyone – a range of genre from children’s books to thrillers, fantasy to romance and a range of memoir and non-fiction.
Meet the author, get your book signed.
Lots of giveaways and prizes!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This event is a part of Salamanca Art’s Centre’s Hobart LitFest.

To view the full program, please visit this webpage.

Celebrate Hobart’s designation as a UNESCO City of Literature at Hobart LitFest!

Join us for a dynamic program showcasing Tasmania’s finest writers, with engaging panels, book launches, interactive workshops, and intimate readings. This is an incredible opportunity to connect with the literary talent that makes Hobart unique. The festival will culminate in an exciting Independent Book Fair, where you can discover and support local independent authors and publishers. Don’t miss out on this celebration of words, culture, and creativity in the heart of Tasmania.


Week Two Program

From Monday 7th – Saturday 12th April 2025

Monday 7th & Wednesday 9th April 2025 – 10AM
Via Booking Only

Young Writers High School Program
Presented by Tasmanian Indie Author Group & Salamanca Arts Centre
Salamanca Arts Centre are partnering with the Tasmanian Independent Author Group to present the Young Writers High School Program as a part of Hobart LitFest. This program offers high school students the opportunity to engage in three one-hour sessions led by independent authors from the Tasmanian Independent Author Group. During each session, students will participate in tailored writing workshops designed to inspire creativity, sharpen their writing skills, and explore new styles of expression. This interactive experience fosters a deeper connection to the writing process while encouraging self-expression and personal growth in a supportive, hands-on environment.
To find out more, please visit the school booking system below.

  • – – –

Monday 7th April 2025 – 5:30PM
Free Event

‘Pony Tales’ Book Launch and Children’s Picture Book Panel Discussion
Presented by Forty South Tasmania
Join us for the launch of “Pony Tales: For the Love of Shetland Ponies” by Jacqui Sinclair Dickson, a collection of spirited stories and vivid charcoal drawings from a life-long horse-lover, writer and vision-impaired artist. The book will be launched by award-winning author/illustrator Fiona Levings (co-regional co-ordinator of Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators), followed by a discussion with other Tasmanian author/illustrators on their creative process.

  • – – –

Tuesday 8th & Thursday 10th April 2025 – 10:30AM
Via Booking Only

Story Island Presents… ‘Mix, Match, Make!’

Collage and storytelling collide in this highly engaging and accessible creative workshop, brought to you by The Story Island Project.
In Mix, Match, Make!, students will experiment with text and images cut out from magazines, books and newspapers to create their very own stories or poems in collage form.
This dynamic workshop includes a mix of individual and group activities and, as students can engage with the materials at a variety of levels, it caters for a diverse range of abilities.
Each group will be led by one of Story Island’s expert Story Leaders, with additional student support from our trained team of volunteers.
To find out more, please visit the school booking system below.

About Story Island
The Story Island Project is a Hobart-based not-for-profit organisation that nurtures the creativity and writing skills of young Tasmanians and celebrates their diverse voices.
With the support of our enthusiastic volunteer tutors, Story Island runs free, dynamic storytelling workshops where young people are empowered to create their own stories.
Our vision is for young people to harness the power of their imaginations so they can grow to be resilient and creative shapers of their own lives.

  • – – –

Wednesday 9th April 2025 – 6:30PM
Free Event

Tassie Indies Read
Enjoy a showcase of Tasmanian Indie Authors reading their work. Ranging a number of genre styles of writing, come along and find your new favourite author!

  • – – –

Saturday 12th April – 10AM til 3PM
Free Event

2025 Tassie Indie Author Book Fair
Come along and check out Tassie’s best independent authors. Something for everyone with a range of genres on offer. Meet the authors! Buy the books! Book signings and giveaways! Find out more here.


Our Sponsors

Salamanca Art Centre’s Hobart LitFest is supported by the City of Hobart’s Event Grants Program.

We would like to thank the following sponsors for their generous support.

City of Hobart – Working together to make Hobart a better place for the community.

Forty South Tasmania – Tasmania’s biggest, most trusted book publisher.

Tasmanian Indie Authors Group – A diverse range of authors with one thing in common – we are all self-published!

Story Island Project – A Hobart-based not-for-profit organisation that nurtures the creativity and writing skills of young Tasmanians and celebrates their diverse voices.

The Hobart Bookshop – A proud independent and locally owned bookshop in Salamanca Square, Hobart, Tasmania. 

Island Magazine – A not-for-profit premium Australian literary magazine of fiction, poetry, nonfiction and arts features.

Joval Wines – We bring people together with wine.

PROTEA Improv – We create unique theatre created in the moment, from Theatresports to an entire dramatic play.

Bad Company Theatre – Hobart’s scrappy theatrical upstart.

More SAC Supported
  • All Ages
  • Comedy
  • Events
  • Performances
  • Theatre

Theatresports™️

Presented by PROTEA Impro

Friday 28 Feb – Friday 28 Nov 2025
Founders Room
View event
  • All Ages
  • Exhibitions
  • Free
  • Kid Friendly

Re-IMAGINED

Celyna Ziolkowski

Friday 4 Apr – Saturday 3 May 2025
Studio Gallery
View event
  • All Ages
  • Exhibitions
  • Free
  • Kid Friendly

Second Stride

Kirby Gibson

Wednesday 16 Apr – Sunday 25 May 2025
Lightbox
View event
  • All Ages
  • Exhibitions
  • Free
  • Kid Friendly

Market

Mark du Potiers

Thursday 29 May – Sunday 29 Jun 2025
Lightbox
View event
  • All Ages
  • Exhibitions
  • Free
  • Kid Friendly
  • Opening Event

The Tracings

Frances Malcomson + Julie Todd

Thursday 29 May – Sunday 29 Jun 2025
Top Gallery
View event
  • All Ages
  • Exhibitions
  • Free
  • Kid Friendly
  • Opening Event

Three places

Kevin Crowe

Friday 4 – Saturday 26 Jul 2025
Top Gallery
View event

Celebrate Hobart’s designation as a UNESCO City of Literature at Hobart LitFest!

Join us for a dynamic program showcasing Tasmania’s finest writers, with engaging panels, book launches, interactive workshops, and intimate readings. This is an incredible opportunity to connect with the literary talent that makes Hobart unique. The festival will culminate in an exciting Independent Book Fair, where you can discover and support local independent authors and publishers. Don’t miss out on this celebration of words, culture, and creativity in the heart of Tasmania.


Sunday Program

Sunday 6th April 2025 – 10:00AM
Sunday Ticket / Full Festival Ticket

Festival Hub Open
Welcome to the Hobart LitFest Hub – a cozy retreat for ticket holders! Enjoy complimentary tea and coffee as you unwind in a comfortable space designed for writer and readers alike. Whether you’re here to sit back with a good book, jot down your thoughts, or simply connect with fellow festivalgoers, our hub offers a perfect escape. Come in, recharge, and take a moment to enjoy the slightly quieter side of the festival.

  • – – –

Sunday 6th April 2025 – 12:30PM
Sunday Ticket / Full Festival Ticket

Creating Book Merch: Art and the Crowdfunding Author
Festival goers will be guided through how to create your own unique book merch using DIY craft, local resources, and creative partnerships to create extra value for your crowdfunding campaigns. The presenter, Tansy Rayner Roberts, will discuss her own experiences and take you through ways to boost book sales using art & craft in the digital age.

The Presenter : Tansy Rayner Roberts

– – –

Sunday 6th April 2025 – 1:45PM
Sunday Ticket / Festival Ticket

Tassie Fireside Chat – From Page To Screen with Belinda Bradley & Franz Docherty

Join us for From Page to Screen with screenwriters Belinda Bradley & Franz Docherty as they share the process of crafting a screenplay and bringing it to life on film. Get an insider’s look at what it truly takes to transform a written script into a dynamic film, with Belinda and Franz exploring the journey from the page to the screen. Whether you’re an aspiring screenwriter, filmmaker, or film enthusiast, this event will offer valuable lessons and insider knowledge on the magic of storytelling for the screen.

The Presenters : Belinda Bradley and Franz Docherty

  • – – –
  • Sunday 6th April 2025 – 2:45PM
  • Sunday Ticket / Full Festival Ticket

Tassie Fireside Chat – Get Published, Tasmania!
Produced by Forty South Tasmania & Island Magazine

Tasmania is producing some of the finest writing in the country, supported by a diverse and growing publishing industry. Join Island’s Jane Rawson and Forty South’s Rayne Allinson and Lucinda Sharp for a deep dive into what these publishing outlets are looking for, and how to kick-start your publishing career here in Tasmania.

The Presenters: Rayne Allinson (Forty South), Lucinda Sharp (Forty South), and Jane Rawson (Island Magazine)

– – –

Sunday 6th April 2025 – 4:00PM
Sunday Ticket / Full Festival Ticket

Hobart as a UNESCO City of Literature: What It Means for Tasmania
Join us for an exciting panel event on Hobart as a UNESCO City of Literature: What It Means for Tasmania’s Future. This forward-looking discussion will explore the transformative potential of Hobart’s UNESCO recognition, focusing on how it will shape the state’s literary and cultural landscape in the years ahead. Local authors and experts will discuss the opportunities for growth in the local literary scene, fostering collaborations, and nurturing a new generation of writers and creatives. Don’t miss this chance to hear how Hobart’s designation is paving the way for a brighter, more dynamic cultural future for Tasmania.

The Presenters : Arianne James, Rayne Allinson, and Patrick Gregory

  • – – –

Sunday 6th April 2025 – 5:00PM
Sunday Ticket / Full Festival Ticket

LitFest Networking Event
Join us at the Hobart LitFest Festival Hub for an exclusive networking event! Connect with fellow book lovers, authors, and industry professionals in a relaxed and inspiring atmosphere. Enjoy a complimentary drink upon entry as you mingle and share your passion for literature. This is the perfect opportunity to make new connections, exchange ideas, and be part of a vibrant literary community. Don’t miss out on this exciting event – where creativity and conversation flow!


Our Sponsors

Salamanca Art Centre’s Hobart LitFest is supported by the City of Hobart’s Event Grants Program.

We would like to thank the following sponsors for their generous support.

City of Hobart – Working together to make Hobart a better place for the community.

Forty South Tasmania – Tasmania’s biggest, most trusted book publisher.

Tasmanian Indie Authors Group – A diverse range of authors with one thing in common – we are all self-published!

Story Island Project – A Hobart-based not-for-profit organisation that nurtures the creativity and writing skills of young Tasmanians and celebrates their diverse voices.

The Hobart Bookshop – A proud independent and locally owned bookshop in Salamanca Square, Hobart, Tasmania. 

Island Magazine – A not-for-profit premium Australian literary magazine of fiction, poetry, nonfiction and arts features.

Joval Wines – We bring people together with wine.

PROTEA Improv – We create unique theatre created in the moment, from Theatresports to an entire dramatic play.

Bad Company Theatre – Hobart’s scrappy theatrical upstart.

More SAC Supported
  • All Ages
  • Comedy
  • Events
  • Performances
  • Theatre

Theatresports™️

Presented by PROTEA Impro

Friday 28 Feb – Friday 28 Nov 2025
Founders Room
View event
  • All Ages
  • Exhibitions
  • Free
  • Kid Friendly

Re-IMAGINED

Celyna Ziolkowski

Friday 4 Apr – Saturday 3 May 2025
Studio Gallery
View event
  • All Ages
  • Exhibitions
  • Free
  • Kid Friendly

Second Stride

Kirby Gibson

Wednesday 16 Apr – Sunday 25 May 2025
Lightbox
View event
  • All Ages
  • Exhibitions
  • Free
  • Kid Friendly

Market

Mark du Potiers

Thursday 29 May – Sunday 29 Jun 2025
Lightbox
View event
  • All Ages
  • Exhibitions
  • Free
  • Kid Friendly
  • Opening Event

The Tracings

Frances Malcomson + Julie Todd

Thursday 29 May – Sunday 29 Jun 2025
Top Gallery
View event
  • All Ages
  • Exhibitions
  • Free
  • Kid Friendly
  • Opening Event

Three places

Kevin Crowe

Friday 4 – Saturday 26 Jul 2025
Top Gallery
View event


Celebrate Hobart’s designation as a UNESCO City of Literature at Hobart LitFest!

Join us for a dynamic program showcasing Tasmania’s finest writers, with engaging panels, book launches, interactive workshops, and intimate readings. This is an incredible opportunity to connect with the literary talent that makes Hobart unique. The festival will culminate in an exciting Independent Book Fair, where you can discover and support local independent authors and publishers. Don’t miss out on this celebration of words, culture, and creativity in the heart of Tasmania.


Saturday Program

Saturday 5th April 2025 – 12:00PM
Saturday Ticket / Full Festival Ticket

Opening Lines and Unresolved Issues: How to begin and how to end a really good story
Katherine Johnson, Kathryn Lomer and Robbie Arnott are all Award-winning Tasmanian authors, who will be sharing some insights as to how they set their opening scenes, what to say at the end, and what might be best left unsaid.

  • – – –

Saturday 5th April 2025 – 1:15PM
Saturday Ticket / Full Festival Ticket

People are so Gullible: Do Facts in History even matter anymore?
Our world is full of heavy words and grand proclamations hurled with such passion and force because someone wants us to believe them. But saying something does not make it so. Esteemed Tasmanian historians Hamish Maxwell-Stewart, Robert Cox and Alison Alexander remind us of the value of Fact and Evidence in Writing History.

– – –

Saturday 5th April 2025 – 2:30PM
Saturday Ticket / Full Festival Ticket

Short stories and Long shots: Weaving the improbable with the credible (in under 5,000 words)
The short story has been a valued and favoured form for writers and readers for hundreds of years. What art is there in fashioning an engaging tale without the freedom of unlimited length.  Cameron Hindrum, Leigh Swinbourne and Mallika Naguran have each published collections of short stories, and will share their thoughts on how to tame big ideas in order to reveal all that the reader needs to know, sometimes in only a few pages.

– – –

Saturday 5th April 2025 – 3:45PM
Saturday Ticket / Full Festival Ticket

Burning Bridges, Burning Books & Burning Issues
We have always lauded a writer’s courage to say what needs to be said. With subtlety and satire, history’s sacred cows have been subjected to scrutiny. Award-winning Tasmanian authors, including Adam Ouston, Gina Mercer, and Ben Walter ponder the rights and obligations of the contemporary writer to say what they wish to say in an increasingly complex world.

– – –

Saturday 5th April 2025 – 5PM
Saturday Ticket / Full Festival Ticket

A Distillation of the Language: Why Poetry is the highest form of writing.
In this provocation, Pete Hay, Anne Kellas, and Sarah Day; three of Tasmania’s most highly regarded poets, will share why Poetry is their chosen form, and how Poetry, alone, allows human concerns, both personal and universal, to co-exist, and to be articulated within the most economic use of the English language.

– – –

Saturday 5th April 2025 – 7:30PM
Saturday Ticket / Full Festival Ticket

The Great Literary Debate – Plotting vs Pantsing
“It’s better to fly by the seat of your pants than plan and plot your book in detail.”

Come and watch local Tasmanian authors battle out this contentious topic while their tongues remain firmly planted in their cheeks.

The Panelists

Lissa Bilyk, Ruth Amos, DK Girl, Lou Powers, David Webby, Simon Thiessen, and Cary Lenehan

Facilitated by Mark Mannock. Adjudicated by the audience!


Our Sponsors

Salamanca Art Centre’s Hobart LitFest is supported by the City of Hobart’s Event Grants Program.

We would like to thank the following sponsors for their generous support.

City of Hobart – Working together to make Hobart a better place for the community.

Forty South Tasmania – Tasmania’s biggest, most trusted book publisher.

Tasmanian Indie Authors Group – A diverse range of authors with one thing in common – we are all self-published!

Story Island Project – A Hobart-based not-for-profit organisation that nurtures the creativity and writing skills of young Tasmanians and celebrates their diverse voices.

The Hobart Bookshop – A proud independent and locally owned bookshop in Salamanca Square, Hobart, Tasmania. 

Island Magazine – A not-for-profit premium Australian literary magazine of fiction, poetry, nonfiction and arts features.

Joval Wines – We bring people together with wine.

PROTEA Improv – We create unique theatre created in the moment, from Theatresports to an entire dramatic play.

Bad Company Theatre – Hobart’s scrappy theatrical upstart.

More SAC Supported
  • All Ages
  • Comedy
  • Events
  • Performances
  • Theatre

Theatresports™️

Presented by PROTEA Impro

Friday 28 Feb – Friday 28 Nov 2025
Founders Room
View event
  • All Ages
  • Exhibitions
  • Free
  • Kid Friendly

Re-IMAGINED

Celyna Ziolkowski

Friday 4 Apr – Saturday 3 May 2025
Studio Gallery
View event
  • All Ages
  • Exhibitions
  • Free
  • Kid Friendly

Second Stride

Kirby Gibson

Wednesday 16 Apr – Sunday 25 May 2025
Lightbox
View event
  • All Ages
  • Exhibitions
  • Free
  • Kid Friendly

Market

Mark du Potiers

Thursday 29 May – Sunday 29 Jun 2025
Lightbox
View event
  • All Ages
  • Exhibitions
  • Free
  • Kid Friendly
  • Opening Event

The Tracings

Frances Malcomson + Julie Todd

Thursday 29 May – Sunday 29 Jun 2025
Top Gallery
View event
  • All Ages
  • Exhibitions
  • Free
  • Kid Friendly
  • Opening Event

Three places

Kevin Crowe

Friday 4 – Saturday 26 Jul 2025
Top Gallery
View event


Celebrate Hobart’s designation as a UNESCO City of Literature at Hobart LitFest!

Join us for a dynamic program showcasing Tasmania’s finest writers, with engaging panels, book launches, interactive workshops, and intimate readings. This is an incredible opportunity to connect with the literary talent that makes Hobart unique. The festival will culminate in an exciting Independent Book Fair, where you can discover and support local independent authors and publishers. Don’t miss out on this celebration of words, culture, and creativity in the heart of Tasmania.


Friday Program

Friday 4th April 2025 – 4:00PM
Friday Ticket / Full Festival Ticket

Festival Hub Open
Welcome to the Hobart LitFest Hub – a cozy retreat for ticket holders! Enjoy complimentary tea and coffee as you unwind in a comfortable space designed for writer and readers alike. Whether you’re here to sit back with a good book, jot down your thoughts, or simply connect with fellow festivalgoers, our hub offers a perfect escape. Come in, recharge, and take a moment to enjoy the slightly quieter side of the festival.

– – –

Friday 4th April 2025 – 5:30PM
Friday Ticket / Full Festival Ticket

Tasmanian Literary Prize Longlist Open Mic
Join us for a special Open Mic session featuring Tasmanian Literary Prize Longlist authors! This intimate event offers a chance to hear short snippets of their captivating works, as they share their stories and voices with Hobart audiences. Don’t miss the opportunity to experience firsthand the talent and creativity of these exciting authors.

Presenting Authors : Susan Austin, Ian Broinowski, and Leigh Swinbourne

– – –

Friday 4th April 2025 – 7:00PM
Friday Ticket / Full Festival Ticket

Scratch Night with Bad Company Theatre
Step into the creative world of Hobart’s emerging playwrights at our Scratch Night! Join us for an evening of play readings, showcasing new works by up-and-coming local writers. Facilitated by the talented team at Bad Company Theatre, this is a unique opportunity to experience raw, untapped stories in their early stages. Be part of the creative process, offer feedback, and witness the future of Hobart theatre unfold!

  • – – –

Friday 4th April 2025 – 8:15PM
Friday Ticket / Full Festival Ticket

JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER
Join PROTEA Impro as we perform a classic novel in JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER. Which book? Well that’s up to you! As a Hobart LitFest special treat we’ll be asking about your favourite romance novels, romantic characters and Tas literature and then we’ll see them come to life in a stunning (or bewildering) improvised stage adaptation. Will it be a faithful adaptation? Not even close: Just give us some titles, some plot points, maybe a couple of characters and we’ll do the rest.

See you on Friday April 4th for 
JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER 
‘Let’s build a romance novel!’

PROTEA Impro
PROTEA Impro is Tasmania’s leading improvised theatre company. Specialising in full length plays and narrative works which they have performed across the country and overseas. They also hold the Tasmanian licence for Theatresports™️ which they perform monthly at The Founders Room SAC. 

PROTEA Impro’s 2025 season is supported by Salamanca Arts Centre 

Tasmanian improvisation. Follow us on Insta @proteaimpro


Our Sponsors

Salamanca Art Centre’s Hobart LitFest is supported by the City of Hobart’s Event Grants Program.

We would like to thank the following sponsors for their generous support.

City of Hobart – Working together to make Hobart a better place for the community.

Forty South Tasmania – Tasmania’s biggest, most trusted book publisher.

Tasmanian Indie Authors Group – A diverse range of authors with one thing in common – we are all self-published!

Story Island Project – A Hobart-based not-for-profit organisation that nurtures the creativity and writing skills of young Tasmanians and celebrates their diverse voices.

The Hobart Bookshop – A proud independent and locally owned bookshop in Salamanca Square, Hobart, Tasmania. 

Island Magazine – A not-for-profit premium Australian literary magazine of fiction, poetry, nonfiction and arts features.

Joval Wines – We bring people together with wine.

PROTEA Improv – We create unique theatre created in the moment, from Theatresports to an entire dramatic play.

Bad Company Theatre – Hobart’s scrappy theatrical upstart.

More SAC Supported
  • All Ages
  • Comedy
  • Events
  • Performances
  • Theatre

Theatresports™️

Presented by PROTEA Impro

Friday 28 Feb – Friday 28 Nov 2025
Founders Room
View event
  • All Ages
  • Exhibitions
  • Free
  • Kid Friendly

Re-IMAGINED

Celyna Ziolkowski

Friday 4 Apr – Saturday 3 May 2025
Studio Gallery
View event
  • All Ages
  • Exhibitions
  • Free
  • Kid Friendly

Second Stride

Kirby Gibson

Wednesday 16 Apr – Sunday 25 May 2025
Lightbox
View event
  • All Ages
  • Exhibitions
  • Free
  • Kid Friendly

Market

Mark du Potiers

Thursday 29 May – Sunday 29 Jun 2025
Lightbox
View event
  • All Ages
  • Exhibitions
  • Free
  • Kid Friendly
  • Opening Event

The Tracings

Frances Malcomson + Julie Todd

Thursday 29 May – Sunday 29 Jun 2025
Top Gallery
View event
  • All Ages
  • Exhibitions
  • Free
  • Kid Friendly
  • Opening Event

Three places

Kevin Crowe

Friday 4 – Saturday 26 Jul 2025
Top Gallery
View event

Celebrate Hobart’s designation as a UNESCO City of Literature at Hobart LitFest!

Join us for a dynamic program showcasing Tasmania’s finest writers, with engaging panels, book launches, interactive workshops, and intimate readings. This is an incredible opportunity to connect with the literary talent that makes Hobart unique. The festival will culminate in an exciting Independent Book Fair, where you can discover and support local independent authors and publishers. Don’t miss out on this celebration of words, culture, and creativity in the heart of Tasmania.

Salamanca Arts Centre’s Hobart LitFest runs from Thursday 3rd until Saturday 12th April 2025 in the Long Gallery and is supported by the City of Hobart, and sponsored by Forty South Tasmania, Island Magazine, The Hobart Bookshop, and many other Tasmanian organisations, groups, and businesses.

Full Program for the Hobart LitFest 2025 can be found online HERE


Thursday 3rd April 2025 – 6:30PM
Opening Event including Keynote Speech by Peter Timms

How we have become a City of Literature & how we compare
Join us for the official opening of the festival followed by a keynote speech by Peter Timms, through which we will explore the journey that led to our city being recognised as a UNESCO City of Literature. Delve into the rich literary history, cultural influences, and key milestones that have shaped our city’s identity in the literary world. We’ll also compare our literary standing to other global cities, highlighting what sets us apart and what we can learn from their successes. Don’t miss this chance to reflect on our literary legacy and future over drinks and nibbles!

About the Presenter
Peter Timms held curatorial positions in Australian museums between 1973 and 1988. He was awarded a Churchill Fellowship in 1984 and an Australia Council Senior Writers’ Fellowship in 1994. Since 1988 he has been a freelance journalist and author, including five years as editor of Art Monthly Australia and art critic for The Age. Peter has published eleven books, including Australian Studio Pottery, Making Nature, What’s Wrong with Contemporary Art?, Australia’s Quarter Acre, Private Lives, and Hobart. His first novel, Asking for Trouble, was published by HarperCollins in 2014. His most recent book is Silliness: a Serious History.


Full Program for the Hobart LitFest 2025 can be found online HERE

Find out more about Friday’s Program HERE

Find out more about Saturday’s Program HERE

Find out more about Sunday’s Program HERE

Find out more about Week Two’s Program HERE

\Find out more about the artists involved HERE


Our Sponsors

Salamanca Art Centre’s Hobart LitFest is supported by the City of Hobart’s Event Grants Program.

We would like to thank the following sponsors for their generous support.

City of Hobart – Working together to make Hobart a better place for the community.

Forty South Tasmania – Tasmania’s biggest, most trusted book publisher.

Tasmanian Indie Authors Group – A diverse range of authors with one thing in common – we are all self-published!

Story Island Project – A Hobart-based not-for-profit organisation that nurtures the creativity and writing skills of young Tasmanians and celebrates their diverse voices.

The Hobart Bookshop – A proud independent and locally owned bookshop in Salamanca Square, Hobart, Tasmania. 

Island Magazine – A not-for-profit premium Australian literary magazine of fiction, poetry, nonfiction and arts features.

Joval Wines – We bring people together with wine.

PROTEA Improv – We create unique theatre created in the moment, from Theatresports to an entire dramatic play.

Bad Company Theatre – Hobart’s scrappy theatrical upstart.

Betty Nolan, Caroline McGregor, Jack Braudis

Exhibition Dates :
19 – 31 March 2025

Sunday – Friday 10:00am – 5:00pm 
10am – 5pm daily

Opening event:

21 March, 2025 | 6pm

Three painters, Betty Nolan, Caroline McGregor and Jack Braudis daub , draw, splash and dribble in an investigation into how abstract painting expresses meaning beyond observed reality.

Betty Nolan is an expressive abstract painter trained at Unitas and the University of Newcastle. Her current works build on previous exhibitions themed on space tourism, feminism and parallels between the body and the landscape.

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Caroline McGregor is an abstract artist with a Masters in Fine Arts from the National Art School (Darlinghurst). A sculptor as well as painter her works are interested in the liminal, (the space between things) and are characterised by a dark monochromatic subtlety whether in charcoal, oils or welded steel.

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Jack Braudis is best known as a painter of exuberant plein air landscapes. Characterised by thick richly textured oil paint his depiction of the landscape is influenced by the Rockport School in North America. This new work retains the exuberance of chasing the colour and light in Southern Tasmania but harks back to work undertaken at university in Boston. Mark Tobey, the New York Abstract Expressionists and Kandinsky of course are fundamental to his body of work.

Exhibition Dates :
Thursday 6 – Sunday 16 February 2025

Sunday – Friday 10:00am – 5:00pm 
Saturdays 9:00am – 5:00pm
*Early Closure on FINAL DAY : Sunday 16 February 2024 10:00am – 4:00pm

This exhibition across all mediums is inspired by water.

Tasmanian artists present their interpretation of water in all its forms. Living on an island surrounded by water gives ample opportunities to capture its moods and beauty. 

Art is for everyone. Both artists and viewers connect with an artwork in a personal way. Reflecting this bond the major prizes are awarded by People’s Choice vote by visitors.


Full Program for the Australian Wooden Boat Festival 2025 online HERE