The Sydney Writers’ Festival is one of Australia’s biggest and most exciting literary events, and Editor Group was thrilled to sponsor the celebration of all things word once again in 2023.
From Julia Gillard’s carefully considered (and forgiving) recollection of that speech to readings by some of Australia’s – and the world’s – biggest literary luminaries, the event celebrated the power of language and ideas to shape the past, present and future.
Highlights included historian Peter Frankopan discussing climate change and its impacts on earlier civilisations to ponder what it might mean for our own; Shehan Karunatilaka in conversation about his Booker–prize winning novel, The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida; and readings by some astonishing poets – among them Australian Omar Sakr and Trinidad-born Anthony Joseph, who recently won Britain’s prestigious TS Eliot Prize for Poetry.
Talks by Richard Flanagan, Colson Whitehead, Jenny Odell and Bernardine Evaristo were also standouts.
The week-long festival featured more than 300 writers speaking at 400 events held at Carriageworks and venues dotted around Greater Sydney.
After the disruption we’ve all experienced over the last few years, it was heartening to see so many out and about and the festival (and Sydney!) return to form.
Sydney’s showcase of new and established authors relies on donors to support a range of writing programs and to keep events at the festival affordable. This year, it is asking for help to raise $100,000 for the cause. If you’d like to contribute, visit the Sydney Writers’ Festival website.
If you missed this year’s festival or would like to revisit the highlights, subscribe to the podcast. Episodes are released weekly from mid-June and available on podcasting platforms including Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
Sydney Writers’ Festival returns 20–26 May, 2024.
