Copyright Agency-UTS New Writer in Residence Annual Address 2026 - Johanna Bell - "Scattered fragments and hidden stories"

Join Johanna Bell, the 2026 Copyright Agency-UTS New Writer in Residence, as she explores the relationship between misremembering, fragmented form and near-future fiction. At a time when collective memory is sculpted by algorithms and our capacity for recollection declines, how do we write the past with confidence? What happens when we intentionally hide our stories from ourselves? And do we need to forget in order to create? In a playful, inquiring spirit, Johanna invites us into her writing process and the questions propelling her next novel. Johanna is an award-winning author of fiction, poetry and children’s literature. Her 2026 debut novel, Department of the Vanishing, won a Tasmanian Literary Award and was shortlisted for a 2026 Queensland Literary Award. Johanna’s address will be followed by a Q&A, hosted by Associate Professor Delia Falconer. Registrations commence at 5 for a 5.30 pm start. The venue location is in the Jones St Wing of UTS Central (Building 2). The easiest access is the entrance from the Alumni Green which you can access through Jones St (see diagram below). For those requiring lift access, you can enter through the foodcourt underneath on street level and you will see a lift not far to your left (and opposite the cafe The Little Roaster). Take the lift up to Level 4.