AND BIG IDEAS Books

Words: Emily Riches

JOURNALIST AND arts writer, Susan Skelly, once said, “Writers’ festivals are a speed date with books and big ideas. Making them happen requires crisis management skills, deft diplomacy, a crystal ball and possibly a tracking device.”

After a tumultuous three years thanks to Covid-19, Sydney Writers’ Festival’s new Artistic Director, Ann Mossop, has pulled together a fantastic selection of conversations, workshops, debates, panels and events on the theme of “Stories For The Future.”

Ann says: “At the festival, writers across many different forms will be thinking and talking about how we understand the past, how we live in the present and how our words, our imaginations and our actions shape the future.”

The festival is held at Redfern venue Carriageworks, and brings together some of the world’s best novelists, poets, journalists and storytellers. For the first time since 2019, writers from all over Australia as well as international guests will be gracing the festival’s stages. Exciting appearances include a slew of Booker Prize-winning authors such as Bernardine Evaristo, Eleanor Catton and Shehan Karunatilaka.

There are some heavy-hitting Australian names in the program as well, such as Alexis Wright and Tim Winton, while a diverse cohort of emerging writers such as Shirley Le and James McKenzie Watson will introduce their debut novels to audiences.

Food is a big theme at this year’s festival, with Stephanie Alexander and Maggie Beer diving into conversation. Annabel Crabb and Adam Liaw will host an event where a stellar crew of cooks, writers and storytellers explore the dinner that changed their lives.

One of the festival standouts is the free-toattend Curiosity Lecture Series where some of our most inquisitive minds deliver lectures on topics that spark their curiosity.

Other favourites include All-Day YA, an epic celebration of young adult literature held on the Saturday, while the marvellous magic of Family Day takes place on Sunday for the little ones. A city-wide program of talks and events in libraries will also be held all across Sydney.

Running since 1997, Sydney Writers’ Festival continues to offer the reading community a world of writing and ideas to explore, as well as all-new performances and experiences.

Sydney Writers’ Festival runs from 22-28 May. Book your tickets at swf.org.au. TA

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: The Festival Bookshop by Gleebooks at Carriageworks; Ann Mossop, Artistic Director; Audiences enjoying a festival panel. Images: supplied.