In just one month we will be announcing the 2026 Sydney Writers' Festival program!
This year we’re back at Carriageworks, Sydney Town Hall and venues across the city from 17–24 May 2026. Subscribe to our enews for 2026 Festival announcements.
One of the foremost poets of the Arab world brings his urgent and powerful poems to Australia, testifying to endurance in the face of unspeakable tragedy. Join Palestinian poet Najwan Darwish in conversation with Sara M. Saleh with a performance by Hasib Hourani.
Thursday 26 February 2026 6-7.15pm | State Library of NSW
Join writer and historian Rachel Cockerell to discuss her genre-bending family memoir of 10,000 Russian Jews searching for a promised land in Galveston, Texas.
Thursday 5 March 2026 6-7pm | State Library of NSW
Red Dawn Over China with Frank Dikötter: Global Roaming LIVE
Join Geraldine Doogue and Hamish Macdonald as Festival favourite ABC Radio National’s Global Roaming LIVE hits the State Library of NSW stage with ‘the historian of China’ (Spectator) Frank Dikötter to unpack his commanding new history of China’s path to Communism, Red Dawn Over China.
Friday 6 March 2026 6-7.15pm | State Library of NSW
Student Sessions is a full-day program of engaging and lively discussions linked directly to the Stage 6 NSW English syllabus.
This is a unique opportunity to hear directly from the authors of prescribed texts and to learn writing skills from some of the world’s most esteemed writers.
As we enter the season of balmy nights, al fresco reads and the magic of forgetting what day it is, dive into the upcoming break with our Summer Reading Guide.
With the new year fast approaching, the Sydney Writers' Festival team are reading far and wide, chasing reading goals and collecting unforgettable stories.
Sydney Writers' Festival is delighted to announce the appointment of Alan Cameron AO, Dr Christine Ratnasingham and Dr Charlotte Wood AM to the Sydney Writers' Festival Board of Directors.
Sydney Writers’ Festival introduces a landmark partnership with the State Library of NSW, supported by the NSW Government, to deliver a new year-round program of literary events in addition to its annual Festival, beginning this September.
Another year, another Festival over and another heap of books added to our "Best of 2025" lists. While we're still holding onto that lingering Festival glow, we've reflected on some of the books that we just can't stop thinking about.
As we enter the season of balmy nights, al fresco reads and the magic of forgetting what day it is, dive into the upcoming break with our Summer Reading Guide.
With the new year fast approaching, the Sydney Writers' Festival team are reading far and wide, chasing reading goals and collecting unforgettable stories.
Sydney Writers' Festival is delighted to announce the appointment of Alan Cameron AO, Dr Christine Ratnasingham and Dr Charlotte Wood AM to the Sydney Writers' Festival Board of Directors.
Sydney Writers’ Festival introduces a landmark partnership with the State Library of NSW, supported by the NSW Government, to deliver a new year-round program of literary events in addition to its annual Festival, beginning this September.
Another year, another Festival over and another heap of books added to our "Best of 2025" lists. While we're still holding onto that lingering Festival glow, we've reflected on some of the books that we just can't stop thinking about.
As we enter the season of balmy nights, al fresco reads and the magic of forgetting what day it is, dive into the upcoming break with our Summer Reading Guide.
With the new year fast approaching, the Sydney Writers' Festival team are reading far and wide, chasing reading goals and collecting unforgettable stories.
Sydney Writers' Festival is delighted to announce the appointment of Alan Cameron AO, Dr Christine Ratnasingham and Dr Charlotte Wood AM to the Sydney Writers' Festival Board of Directors.
Sydney Writers’ Festival introduces a landmark partnership with the State Library of NSW, supported by the NSW Government, to deliver a new year-round program of literary events in addition to its annual Festival, beginning this September.
Another year, another Festival over and another heap of books added to our "Best of 2025" lists. While we're still holding onto that lingering Festival glow, we've reflected on some of the books that we just can't stop thinking about.
