<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?> <docID>338246</docID> <postdate>2025-02-13 22:51:34</postdate> <headline>Star director leaves Canberra Writers Festival</headline> <body><p><img class="size-full wp-image-338247" src="https://citynews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Beejay-Silcox.jpeg" alt="" width="900" height="600" /></p> <caption>Beejay Silcox... “transformed the festival into both a cornerstone of Canberra’s cultural calendar and a dynamic force on the national literary scene.â€</caption> <p><strong>The artistic director of Canberra Writers Festival, Beejay Silcox, is stepping down after two years at the helm. </strong></p> <p>Silcox joined the festival and oversaw the 2023 and 2024 festivals.</p> <p>In a statement, the festival board said her professionalism and deep understanding of Australian literature had “transformed the festival into both a cornerstone of Canberra’s cultural calendar and a dynamic force on the national literary scene.â€</p> <p>For her part, Silcox said leading the festival’s artistic direction had been “a privilege and a joyâ€, but that she looked forward to returning to being a full-time literature critic.</p> <p>Silcox will finish up on February 28 and the festival will announce a new director in the coming weeks.</p> </body>