Events & Festivals
Brisbane Writers Festival champions curiosity and creativity in Queensland. BWF connects and grows Queensland’s reading and writing communities through transformative cultural experiences that elevate the vitality of the literary arts and contribute to dynamic public conversation.
Byron Writers Festival is a time of celebration, exchange and reflection. This Festival presents some of the finest writers from Australia and overseas in a program designed to amuse and stimulate in the best venue in the country, the beaches of Byron.
Since its inception in 2016, the Canberra Writers Festival has been bringing together the best Australian and international writers, thinkers and social and political commentators.
The Children’s Book Council (CBC) National Conference provides a meeting point for those passionate about children’s and young adult literature. Featuring Australian and international guests, the weekend conference consists of panels, keynote addresses, book signings and discussion sessions.
The Emerging Writers’ Festival (EWF) is one of Australia’s most established and well-respected literary festivals. EWF develops, nurtures and promotes Australia’s new writing talent, creating platforms for connecting writing communities and their audiences. Through the flagship festival in Melbourne and an annual program of events, it provides opportunities for emerging writers to develop professionally, and supports them to engage new and larger audiences.
Melbourne Writers Festival brings writers and readers together to be inspired, challenged and thrilled by an intelligent, rousing and diverse program of books and ideas. Since 1986, the organisation has entertained hundreds of thousands of readers as Australia’s boldest literary festival. Based in Melbourne, a UNESCO City of Literature, we provide the inspiration and framework for vital, timely conversations.
The National Young Writers’ Festival (NYWF) is an annual gathering of young writers. A place to show work, share ideas, and learn. NYWF programs are free, and made by and for young writers who create across stage, page, web and beyond. Returning in 2021 with a hybrid model – retaining a digital program that will exist alongside the usual festival which takes place across the October long weekend in Newcastle, NSW.
The Newcastle Writers Festival is a community event that shines the spotlight on local and nationally significant literary talent.
Run workshops, festivals, competitions and other events. Offer mentorship and manuscript appraisal.
Features invited international, national and local poets plus ample opportunities for public participation in a diverse program of free and low cost events. Professional development is also supported through workshops, seminars, panels and networking opportunities.
Queensland Poetry (QP) supports poets and spoken-word artists in Queensland, Australia through its flagship annual festival, year-round events and workshops, Arts Queensland Poet-in-Residence Program, Arts Queensland Poetry Awards, prizes and challenges, and in-school programs.
Since 1992 Romance Writers of Australia Inc has held an exciting National Conference in August, with themes ranging from An Affair to Remember through to Love’s A Beach and Some Like It Hot. We bring together more than 350 aspiring, emerging and established authors for professional workshops, networking, fellowship, and continuing education, to say nothing of parties and events.
Following in the footsteps of literary tradition, Storyfest is the writers’ festival for the Gold Coast, the cornerstone of which is its annual three day event held in March. Delivering a series of literary experiences along with workshops, masterclasses and featured authors throughout the year, Storyfest nurtures emerging writers and provides opportunities for readers and writers alike.
Sydney Writers’ Festival (SWF) is one of the world’s leading and most beloved literary institutions. It is a place for readers, writers and thinkers to share ideas, tell stories and celebrate literature. Since the first Festival in 1997, SWF has brought thousands of diverse writers and thinkers from Australia and around the globe together in Sydney.
The Tasmanian Poetry Festival is held annually. Devoted almost solely to poetry, in all its forms and across all genres, and age ranges, it is held in Launceston with guest poets sharing their work with local readers and audiences.
The Youth Literature Festival brings some of the finest writers and performers for young people to Queensland’s Sunshine Coast each year. It features writers’ panels, book-talks, storytelling, workshops and performance and aims to provide a diverse cultural experience for its regional participants.
Whitsunday Voices is the largest youth literature festival in regional Queensland. Held annually in July – this friendly festival hosts an intimate line up of Australian literary talent to inspire in students a love of books and writing.
Write around the Murray (WAM) is held annually in Albury and is the region’s only exclusively literary based festival.
Open-access arts festival, featuring performers and groups from all artistic mediums. The second-largest fringe festival in the world. Arranges medium-specific programs like 2007’s Word program, which featured writers reading from and talking about their work. Open to programming requests from individuals who want to perform or read at the festival.
The Adelaide Writers’ Week is Adelaide’s premier literary festival.
The Australian Society of Authors runs a national program of events every year for emerging and professional authors covering topics such as marketing and publicity, self-promotion, social media, ebooks and digital publishing, self-publishing, pitching your work, getting published, copyright, contracts and more.
The Auckland Writers and Readers Festival is a festival of ideas celebrating books and reading, with events, panels and workshops involving many distinguished local, Asia-Pacific and international writers. Affiliated with the Sydney Writers Festival.
This biennial forum defines a new way to talk about theatre in Australia. It is a conversation with all corners of the sector – writers, makers, designers and elders – to ensure that Australian theatre acknowledges our past in looking to the future. Through a broad range of keynote speeches, panel discussions, workshops and activities, be prepared to share some radical ideas about how theatre can make a difference.