Adelaide City Council is poised to deliberate on extending financial and venue support for a new literary festival, aiming to replace the recently cancelled Adelaide Writers’ Week. This initiative seeks to address the “cultural void” left by the event’s abrupt cancellation, which was originally scheduled from February 28 to March 5.
The cancellation followed a national controversy and an author boycott triggered by the disinvitation of Palestinian Australian author Randa Abdel-Fattah. Despite an apology and an invitation extended to Abdel-Fattah for next year’s event, the current year’s festival remains off the table.
Efforts to Fill the Void
Writers SA and local publisher Pink Shorts Press have been at the forefront of organizing an alternative festival. The proposal has gained momentum, with the Adelaide City Council considering a special meeting on Monday to discuss potential funding and venue provision, including the use of Adelaide Town Hall.
However, the proposal has met with skepticism from Lord Mayor Jane Lomax-Smith, who expressed doubts about the feasibility of organizing a major event within a six-week timeframe. “We are not talking about a family barbecue, but an event attempting to attract tens of thousands of people,” she remarked.
Community Response and Challenges
Margot Lloyd, co-director of Pink Shorts Press, highlighted the disappointment among local authors due to the festival’s cancellation. “People are really upset about what’s happened,” she said, emphasizing the significance of Adelaide Writers’ Week for local and national authors alike.
“The book sales are really strong at Adelaide Writers’ Week … so there’s the lost exposure, the lost book sales, but also just being able to say that they’ve been part of Adelaide Writers’ Week is important.”
Despite the tight timeframe, Lloyd noted a strong community desire to support authors affected by the cancellation. “There was a real outpouring of support from people who wanted to support authors whose events had been cancelled,” she added.
Council’s Role and Potential Support
Councillor Keiran Snape has proposed a motion for the council to engage with Writers SA to help organize an alternative event in February/March 2026. This includes potential funding from the Adelaide Economic Development Agency and the use of council-owned venues.
Cr Snape, who is running as an independent in the upcoming state election, stressed the council’s responsibility to step in and fill the cultural void. “Adelaide’s got a reputation as a festival city,” he stated, emphasizing the economic relief this event could provide to local businesses.
“I think it’s up to us now as the council to step in, fill that cultural void and also provide economic relief for the businesses that were expecting and relying on this event to go ahead.”
Venue Availability and Future Steps
The availability of venues remains a critical factor for the success of the proposed festival. Lloyd pointed out that February and March are peak times for Adelaide’s festival activities, with venues often booked months in advance.
Cr Lomax-Smith has agreed to attend the council meeting with an open mind, despite her initial reservations. Meanwhile, the community and local authors remain hopeful that the council’s support could help bring the alternative festival to fruition.
The council’s decision on Monday will be pivotal in determining the future of this ‘guerilla’ literary festival, as stakeholders await the outcome with anticipation.
