connect and learn with children’s publishers & expert creators

event dates

pitch month

September 1-19th pitch pro sessions

weekend one - in-person

Oct 11th in-person professional development day part 1 + illustration exhibition + writing comp winners

Oct 12th in-person/on-line coach camp day + illustration exhibition

weekend two - on-line

Oct 18th on-line professional development day part 1 (recorded )

Oct 19th on-line professional development day part 2 (ZOOM live)

A colorful digital poster displaying different ticket types and add-ons for an event called 'sketch&scribe festival.' The poster features a smartphone illustration with tiers of tickets: Base Ticket 1, Base Ticket 2, and Base Ticket 3, each with descriptions of the included workshops and recordings. The right side lists additional add-ons such as online pitch pro sessions, digital and in-person illustration exhibitions, and first-page writing competitions, with prices. The top right corner has a logo of a stylized whale and waves, with the festival name. The bottom mentions in-person days at the Jan Juc Surf Lifesaving Club in Victoria, Australia.

Welcome to THE SKETCH & SCRIBE FESTIVAL

for Writers & Illustrators of Children's Literature

Hello children’s story lovers! We are so glad you’ve discovered the Sketch and Scribe Festival.

Each year, children’s writers and illustrators of all levels - emerging and published - gather on the Surf Coast and on-line to connect and learn from publishers and published experts.

We’d love you to join us at our next festival.

featured speakers

We are bringing a program of first-class speakers to you including;

  • Publishers providing the inside scoop on what’s hot and what’s not

  • Professional development days filled with workshops and tech talks from expert authors and illustrators sharing secrets of their success

  • Workshops– hands-on learning with published pros

  • Coach Camps – a full day of workshops with publishers & experts where' you’ll polish your stories and artwork ready for submission

If you can’t make it in-person, there’s an on-line program filled with developmental workshops and publisher and agent pitch sessions.

Circular collage of black and white headshots of six women and one man, each with a pink name label and the year 2025 in the center.

we thank the support of

Surf Coast Shore Surf Coast Events logo with stylized wave and bold text in black and white.
Solid white background
Logo of Torquay Books with an open book icon.