In an impressive festival program that boasts hundreds of events that spans numerous genres, here are just some to get you excited.
Opening night event: Take Me Away
The Olympic Games opening ceremony for bookworms. See poet and artist Jazz Money as she opens the festival with a special performance. Followed by celebrated US writer, Ann Patchett in conversation with Annabel Crabb about this year’s festival’s theme, ‘Take me away’. On stage, they’ll unpack 3 essentials for literary journeys: curiosity, courage, and openness.
22 May
Carriageworks, Eveleigh
SWF Great Debate: Artificial intelligence is better than the real thing
Who doesn’t love a juicy debate? This year’s crowd-pleasing event invites celebrated personalities like Annabel Crabb and David Marr to tackle the topic of AI and its ability to change humanity for better…or worse. The night will be moderated by Yumi Stynes.
23 May
Sydney Town Hall
Little literature: Primary School Days
A week dedicated to sparking young minds through storytelling, featuring talks from beloved authors and illustrators including Tasma Walton and Kate Temple. This event is made for school kids in years 3 to 6 with interactive sessions, performances and book signings.
22-29 May
Young adults: Secondary School Days
Budding authors are invited to explore the power of storytelling and pursue their own creative writing journeys. Acclaimed writers such as Elizabeth Acevedo and CS Pacat will share their insights into the creative process. This day aims to inspire students in years 7 to 10 but it’s suitable for all high-school students.
20, 21, 23 May
Young writer talk: Angourie Rice
Angourie Rice discusses her transition from acting to writing. She shares insights into her debut young adult romance novel she co-wrote with her mother Kate Rice, Stuck Up and Stupid, as well as her passion for storytelling across different mediums.
25 May
See Angourie and Kate Rice present The Austen Formula, classic rom-coms with a fresh twist.
Headline act: Ann Patchett
The celebrated American author returns to the festival with her newest best-selling novel Tom Lake, with an intimate look into the complexities of love and life pre-parenthood, in discussion with Meg Mason. Patchett's session will touch on her narrative craft and themes central to her latest book.
See her speak at Opening Night and the event Ann Patchett on Ordinary Joys, a chat with cherished writers and real-life friends.
23 May
Sydney Town Hall
Indigenous voices: Blak Crit
First Nations critics and artists come together to explore the intersection of culture, criticism and community in Australia. Through this dialogue, you’ll gain unique perspectives and challenges faced by Indigenous critics including Susie Anderson, Daniel Browning and Jeanie Leane. Hosted by Neika Lehman.
23 May
Carriageworks, Eveleigh
Queer Stories: Queer Love and Longing
K Patrick and Christos Tsiolkas discuss love and longing in literature as well as the pleasure of writing queer love stories. They’ll share inspiration behind their latest works Patrick’s Mrs S and Tsiolkas’s The In-Between and discuss romance and desire in their work through a queer lens.
23 May
Carriageworks, Eveleigh
Film to page: Bryan Brown and Sam Neill
Two screen stars return to the festival. Sam Neill interviews Bryan Brown about his new crime novel The Drowning. This session will give a behind-the-scenes look at the creative process of one of Australia's most beloved cinema icons.
25 May
City Recital Hall, Sydney
International highlights
The festival spotlights global voices in literature, with talks by Nobel laureate, Zanzibar’s Abdulrazak Gurnah and other award-winning international authors including Ireland’s Paul Murray, Booker Prize winner Paul Lynch and Bonnie Garmus from the US. The festival will highlight diverse voices and stories from around the globe, from historical narratives to queer fantasies.
See program page for more information and tickets
Festival freebies: events and lectures for everyone
The festival has many events and a curiosity lecture series that you can enjoy free. Sophie Gee tells us How to read a novel, while Sally Rippin talks about how we learn to read. Neuroscientist Joel Pearson gives a lecture about intuition and psychologist Ahona Guha shares her life skills for a broken world. There’s a huge range of inspiring speakers and topics to choose from for free.
23 - 26 May
Carriageworks, Eveleigh
Family Day
A day of activities that will whisk the kids away to a world of wonder. See Russ the Story Bus, live music and more. All ticketed events are $10 on the final Sunday of the festival.
26 May
Carriageworks, Eveleigh
We are a proud sponsor of Sydney Writers' Festival as part of our commitment to supporting arts and culture in our city.
Published 16 April 2024, updated 25 June 2024
