As we look forward to the 2025 Clunes Booktown Festival and Ceramic Award, we find ourselves at a critical juncture. The aftermath of COVID-19, alongside dwindling reserves and escalating costs, presents significant challenges. In a commitment to keeping our cherished events open and accessible to everyone, we've made the decision to eliminate the entry fee for the Booktown Festival. To sustain this vision and continue enriching our community's cultural landscape, we respectfully seek your support.

Our journey began in 2007 with the inaugural "Booktown for a Day," attracting over 6,000 visitors. This success laid the foundation for the Clunes Booktown Festival, an annual two-day celebration that now draws book traders and enthusiasts from across Australia. The festival is a vibrant tapestry of book stalls, street entertainment, and engaging writer talks, enhanced by local food, wine, and music. In April 2012, Clunes was honored to become the 15th International Booktown and the first in Australia, solidifying our place on the global cultural map. Our latest festival in March 2023 saw attendance double to around 12,000, underscoring the event's growing importance and appeal.

Parallel to our literary celebrations, the Clunes Ceramic Award has emerged as a prestigious biennial event showcasing the excellence of Australian ceramics. Since its inception in 2009, the award has gained prominence, attracting 150 entries in our most recent edition, with 47 reaching the finalist stage and six emerging as winners.

As we navigate these challenging times, the essence of our appeal is simple yet vital: to maintain the spirit and accessibility of our events. Your support will not only help preserve the unique character of the Clunes Booktown Festival and Ceramic Award but also ensure they continue to thrive as pillars of cultural celebration and community engagement.

We are deeply grateful for any assistance you can provide, as we work together to keep the legacy of Clunes as a beacon of arts, culture, and community alive and vibrant for future generations.