The Greek-Australian Cultural League (GACL) continued its mission of promoting literature through its annual Poetry Afternoon, celebrating the voices of Greek Australian and Philhellenic poets.

Held on Sunday 22 June at Steps Gallery in Carlton, the event featured readings from eight poets, whose work was inspired by the visual art of the Antipodean Palette exhibition.

This year’s theme, Travels and Wanderings, invited reflections on migration, identity, and memory. The poets moved the large audience with deeply personal narratives that resonated with both first-generation migrants and younger Australian-born listeners.

The event opened with a welcome from Andrea Garivaldis, Vice President of the EAPS, followed by introductions from the program coordinators, Monica and George Athanasiou. Featured poets included Monica Athanasiou, Dean Kalimniou, Eleni Kalimniou, Angeliki Kostis, Panagiota Malapanou, Paraskevi Dentsa, Alex Skovren, and Christos Fifi.

Attendees were treated to an afternoon of poetry and conversation, enriched by the intimate setting of the gallery and complemented by light refreshments—nourishing both mind and body.

Submissions now open for 2025 GACL Literary Competition

The GACL’s much-anticipated annual Literary Competition is now accepting entries, with submissions closing on Friday 18 July.

Open to Australian residents over the age of 18, the competition accepts original and unpublished works in Greek, English, or bilingual format, in the categories of poetry and short stories.

Participants may enter one submission per category and in one or both languages.

  • Poems: Maximum of 100 lines
  • Short stories: Maximum of 2,000 words

Winning entries will be published in the 71st edition of Antipodes, GACL’s literary periodical.

Submissions must be sent as a Word document to: gaclitcomp@gmail.com

In a separate attachment, entrants should include:

  • Full name and pseudonym
  • Address
  • Email and phone number
  • Word count (short stories) or line count (poems)

The results will be announced at a special event later this year.