22 May 2025 Live & Interactive Zoom
And On demand
Term 1 to 4 Resources
Inspiring students to embrace and share knowledge by keeping stories and culture alive for future generations.
Our thanks to Michael Fardon for his artwork.
A Deadly Collaboration
The Deadly Line up
Jasmine Seymour
Dharug woman
Connecting to Country:
Dharug stories explored in language through writing, songs, and images.
Corey Tutt
Kamilaroi man
Deadly Reptiles:
Exploring science, language, and cultural perspectives.
Luke Carroll
Wiradjuri and Ngunnawal man
Host:
Luke hosts every workshop, reinforcing key insights and weaving meaningful connections throughout the day.
Kylie Captain
Gamilaroi Woman
Dream Big:
Students explore resilience, gratitude, mindfulness and goal setting through storytelling, connecting to Country.
Thomas Mayo
Kaurareg Aboriginal, Kalkalgal & Erubamle Torres Strait Islander
Always Was, Always Will Be:
Students examine the future of reconciliation and justice after the 2023 Voice referendum.
James Foley
Host illustrator:
James illustrates live, creating images and instructions to support students’ responses to activities in workshops.
How It Works
The Deadly Writing Festival connects Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander storytellers directly with your classroom via live Zoom workshops. Designed to inspire creativity and cultural understanding, this national storytelling event aligns perfectly with NAIDOC and Reconciliation Week.
Live Video Workshops
Engaging sessions with renowned storytellers, featuring interactive prompts to spark student discussions and creativity.
Flexible Access
Replay workshops on-demand throughout the year, fitting easily into your teaching schedule.
Classroom-Ready Resources
Resources: Slides and lesson plans specifically designed for teachers, aligning seamlessly with ACARA Cross-Curriculum priorities.
Digital & Printable Activities
Structured resources to help students create, refine, and share their unique stories.
Student Book Creation:
Opportunities for students to create their own digital and printed books in response to the workshops, further enhancing their storytelling skills.
The Deadly Writing Festival is crafted to engage and inspire all students and educators, and to create diverse storytelling journeys across your classrooms.
Curriculum-Aligned Resources for Teachers
Aligned With ACARA 9.0 Cross-Curricular Priorities
We collaborate with knowledge holders to provide educators and students with meaningful connections—keeping cultural knowledge alive in the classroom.
Micro Videos & Prompts
Short, engaging videos with guided prompts to spark student discussions and inspire creative thinking.
Teacher & Student Resources
Ready-to-use slides and materials designed to support lesson delivery and meet curriculum objectives.
Book Creation
Students write, publish, and share their stories—building connections, inspiring others, and strengthening communities.
A Deadly Mission
Empowering Student Authors
Responding to the hopes and dreams of knowledge holders, Elders, and communities, we write to keep our culture and stories alive.
Honouring our Elders, we write to keep culture strong, stories alive, and knowledge flowing for generations to come. Our words carry the wisdom of our knowledge holders, ensuring our stories remain powerful, proud, and enduring.
By joining The Deadly Writing Festival, your students become part of a connected and empowered community. They become authors, take ownership of their stories, and share their voices with their communities and beyond.
Guided by the hopes of knowledge holders, we write with purpose — to carry our past into the future and empower the next generation.
Stories are our way to honour the past, strengthen the present, and shape a future where culture thrives and our voices are never forgotten.
Join us.
Empower your students.
Celebrate culture.
Ensure their stories are heard. Together, we keep our culture burning bright.
Event Pricing
5x Deadly Masterclasses
Create and collaborate, sharing the beauty of Country, Culture and Community across the Nation, through the power of storytelling and writing.
Students
RRP
1 - 49
$ 1,450
50 - 149
$ 2,250
150 - 399
$ 3,490
400 - 699
$ 5,450
700+
$ 7,490
A Deadly Collaboration
Jenny Atkinson, Littlescribe’s Founder and CEO, is a dedicated champion and innovator in children’s literature and education.
Innovator in Education:
Jenny spearheads transformative initiatives like The Co-author Program, nurturing young authors through collaborations with professionals. The Mini-Writing Festival, under her guidance, has grown into Australia’s largest student writing event. During COVID, she partnered with UNESCO for UN Earth School, supporting environmental education.
NAIDOC Book Challenge & Tell Your Story – Warami:
These programs, adopted nationwide, bridge culture, language, and curriculum, resulting in published books that share knowledge beyond classrooms.
Deadly Writers Festival Vision:
Jenny’s vision for the Deadly Writers Festival includes collaborations with visionaries like Kylie Captain to make it a premier literacy event.
Supporting Teachers:
Jenny’s expertise aids teachers with curriculum-aligned programs and tools, nurturing students’ journeys from pages to chapter books. With over 500,000 student-authored pages, she enriches children’s literacy and amplifies their voices.
Kylie Captain, a proud Gamilaroi author and educator, brings over two decades of experience in Aboriginal education and writing, shaping the landscape of Aboriginal literature and learning.
Aboriginal Education Leader and Author:
Kylie co-authored ‘Be That Teacher who Makes a Difference & Lead Aboriginal Education for All Students’ with Dr Cathie Burgess, revolutionising inclusive classrooms and Aboriginal teaching practices.
Deadly Writers Festival Curator:
Kylie curates the Deadly Writers Festival, championing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander authors, instilling cultural identity, and inspiring pride in their literary contributions.
Aboriginal Cultural Education Advocate:
As and President of the Aboriginal Studies Association, Kylie leads initiatives dedicated to keeping Aboriginal histories, cultures, and stories alive for future generations. Through her work, she strengthens nurtures a deep respect and understanding of Aboriginal protocols and values.
Authorship in Aboriginal Narratives:
Kylie authored Dream Big and Imagine the What If, igniting ambition and inspiring creativity in young people. Her dedication enriches cultural preservation and amplifies voices in education and literature. The book features the powerful chapter Black and Proud, celebrating identity, resilience, and cultural pride.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the Deadly Writing Festival work?
On 22nd May, the Deadly Writing Festival will bring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander storytellers live into your classroom via Zoom. With on-demand access, you can replay any workshop at any time.
Here’s what to expect:
1.Engaging video workshops featuring storytellers, packed with guided prompts to spark student discussions and creativity.
2.Ready-to-use slides and lesson materials designed to support teachers and align with ACARA Cross-Curriculum priorities.
3.Printable and digital resources with structured activities to help students develop, refine, and share their own stories.
4. Digital & Printable Activities: Structured resources to help students create, refine, and share their unique stories.
5. Student Book Creation: Opportunities for students to create their own digital and printed books in response to the workshops, further enhancing their storytelling skills.
With flexible access and a rich collection of resources, the festival is designed to inspire all students, no matter their writing journey!
Who can participate?
The Deadly Writing Festival is designed for all school students aged 4 to 18 across Australia. Whether your students are passionate storytellers, emerging writers, or just keen to get creative, join in and be inspired!
What if our school can't attend live?
All workshops will be available on-demand, so you can watch any or all of them at a time that suits you. We will provide resources to support classroom activities alongside the workshops.
How do we register?
Simply click Register and follow the steps to secure your spot.
Who will be presenting?
The festival is hosted by Luke Carroll and brought to life with illustrations by James Foley.
Our incredible lineup of presenters includes Jasmine Seymour, Corey Tutt, Kylie Captain, Thomas Mayo.
Please note: The Deadly Writing Festival reserves the right to make changes to the presenter lineup if necessary.
Deadly Writing Festival 2025
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