Centre for the Book becomes a special project

THE CENTRE FOR THE BOOK ENTERS A NEW PHASE
From 2003 South Africa's Centre for the Book has been recognised by the country's Department of Arts & Culture as a "Special Project" of the National Library; and the department now funds the salaries of the seven core staff at the centre.
Centre for the Book projects and staff fall under the auspices of The Book Development Foundation (BDF), a not-for-profit company whose membership reflects the widest range of stakeholders in the book world, and includes, librarians, publishers, printers, booksellers, writers, paper manufacturers and educators. The BDF will manage all donor funds.

TURNING THE PAGE - 'NEW WRITERS' EVENT
The New Writers event is scheduled for September 24, which is Heritage Day in South Africa. The Programme includes readings by 10 featured new writers and sessions on:
* Publishing: a rough guide to some hard facts - a realistic look at the publishing and book-selling landscape for new writers.
* "Where is performance poetry going?"
* A workshop by Greg McArthur, a Canadian playwright.
* English Alive, lunchtime reunion/ indaba/ lekgothla
* Creative Writing programmes under scrutiny
* The launch of the new Siyagruva teen series by New Africa Books.

INDABA PAGE OF OUR WEBSITE
The Indaba page is becoming an essential online notice-board for advertising new books, launches, readings, workshops, and other literary news that you might only hear about by word of mouth if you are very well connected. Keep an eye on the Indaba page and feel free to use it to advertise jobs, books, and events. Click here to go to the Indaba page.

THE WRITERS' NETWORK
The Writers' Network is an initiative by writers for writers that collects and disseminates information about support and resources available to writers in South Africa. Canadian playwright, Greg MacArthur will be in residence with the Cape Town Playwrights Unit at the Writers Network from 15 September 2003. Lulu Nqabeni has joined the Network as a fieldworker in the Eastern Cape region and Carl Taylor has been appointed as the network administrator. Keep an eye on the Network website at www.thewritersnetwork.org for more information.

For more information on South Africa's Centre for the Book visit their website at www.centreforthebook.org.za