Former English teacher, model and Palmerston North Girls' High alumni, Liz Calder co-founded Bloomsbury Publishing in London in 1986. Best-known for bringing J.K. Rowling and the Harry Potter series to the public, Liz has published the work of prize-winning authors Julian Barnes, Nadine Gordimer, Michael Ondaatje and Margaret Atwood, among many others. With her husband, children’s author Louis Baum, Liz also established the Groucho Club - London’s literary hangout - and the FLIP festival in Parati, Brazil.

Liz and Louis visit New Zealand in January as part of the ART Venture programme, run by the Arts Regional Trust – Te Taumata Toi-A-Iwi. ART Venture is a customised acceleration programme to develop the artistic projects, industry networks and business skills of a select group of Auckland-based creative entrepreneurs.

Liz and Louis will speak at a publishing industry event in Takapuna, Auckland on Wednesday 30 January, hosted by the British Council and North Shore City Council. The following day, they will help launch ART Venture 2008. Liz and Louis will also meet and work with the 2007 participants as part of a day-long symposium on 1 February.

In the male-dominated publishing world of the ‘80s, Liz seized the chance to move from publicity to editing, and built strong relationships with authors. “You have to believe that the next thing you read is going to be something wonderful. After a while I learnt to trust my instincts... my confidence grew because some of the things that my nose twitched over were pretty successful.”

For more details, please contact Anna Lee