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UNCOVERED: Adelaide writers week event | History Defined

What is the future of Australia’s embattled writers festivals?

For more than 65 years, book lovers have descended on Adelaide every summer for Australia’s longest running literary festival. That is, until this year, when around 180 invited authors (including me) boycotted Adelaide Writers Week, following the board’s decision to “uninvite” Palestinian-Australian author Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah. The festival was cancelled.

The Conversation

Adelaide Festival Apologises To Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah & Invites Her To 2027 Writers’ Week

Adelaide Festival has issued an official apology to author Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah after disinviting her from Writers' Week.

Pedestrian.tv

Adelaide festival apologises to Randa Abdel-Fattah and invites her to participate in 2027 writers’ week

Apology comes as former Adelaide festival board member accuses Louise Adler of hypocrisy after she resigned citing free speech concerns

The Guardian - AU

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Adelaide Writers Week canceled as 180 speakers withdraw after the exclusion of a Palestinian writer

Organizers of Australia’s largest free literary festival have canceled the weeklong event after most writers withdrew over the removal of an Australian Palestinian writer

The Independent UK

‘Masterclass in poor governance’: what was the board’s role in the end of Adelaide Writers Week?

This afternoon, Adelaide Writers Week was cancelled for 2026 – less than a week after Palestinian-Australian writer Randa Abdel-Fattah was disinvited by the Adelaide Festival board. This came despite the “strongest opposition” from Writers Week director Louise Adler, who resigned this morning. The board has announced its remaining members will…

The Conversation

Adelaide Writers’ Festival Cancelled & Apology Issued To Randa Abdel-Fattah

"This is a deeply regrettable outcome."

Pedestrian.tv

Festival dumping calculated, says Palestinian author

Dumped author Randa Abdel-Fattah says attempts to police speech will backfire as more than 100 writers quit a besieged literary festival in solidarity.

AAP

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Adelaide festival dumps prominent academic Randa Abdel-Fattah over ‘cultural sensitivity’ concerns after Bondi attack

Abdel-Fattah accuses the board of ‘blatant and shameless’ anti-Palestinian racism and censorship, as other authors pull out in solidarity

The Guardian - AU

Adelaide Writers' Week defends scheduling author who is critical of Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelenskyy

Adelaide Writers' Week defends a decision to schedule an author who has been vocal against Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, saying the event is about debating different views.

ABC News

Grace Tame wows Adelaide Writers Week with a memoir of abuse, courage … and Scott Morrison

Grace Tame took to the stage at Adelaide Writers’ Week, alongside Jess Hill, author of Quarterly Essay 84: The Reckoning: How #MeToo is Changing Australia.

The New Daily

Celebrating a decade of MUD Literary Club support for 'rank and file' writers at Adelaide Writers' Week

A philanthropic arts organisation that has supported famed writers like Hannah Kent, Tim Winton and Trent Dalton is celebrating its 10-year anniversary at Adelaide Writers' Week.

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