This year marks five years since the launch of the Bendigo Writers’ Festival - and, interestingly, 400 years since Shakespeare died - and they’re celebrating with their biggest line-up to date, making a case for visiting the regional Victorian outpost this August. Covering everything from art and food to politics and fiction, speakers include Stephanie Alexander, Julian Assange, David Astle, Benjamin Law, Samuel Cooney and Manuscript editor-in-chief Mitchell Oakley Smith (pictured). Click through for the full program and to reserve a spot at the events.

TRENDING | Saturday 13 August, 1030-1130am | Visual Arts Centre, Bendigo
Mr Oakley Smith’s new book, Maticevski: The Elegant Rebel (Thames & Hudson), is published to coincide with the designer’s major exhibition at Bendigo Art Gallery. In this event, he talks to arts producer Suzanne Donisthorpe about the fundamentals of style.

NOT SO FINE ART | Sunday 14 August, 1230-130pm | Trades Hall, Bendigo
Is there still debate about what can be shown in art museums, or is it now more about how it’s shown? Bendigo Art Gallery’s Tansy Curtin asks Chris McAuliffe (art historian and writer), Mitchell Oakley Smith (Manuscript) and Ashleigh Wilson (arts editor, The Australian) about what makes a good exhibition and how they’d like to see galleries respond to changes in art and audiences.