Everyone is invited to join us on the Carrington Lawn for the Festival Welcome to Dharug and Gundungurra land. 

Did AI write this event copy? Can you tell, and does it matter? And as machines grow ever more capable, what – if anything – remains uniquely human? Drawing on expansive imaginations and deep research, our panel considers how AI is reshaping our identities, work, ethics and creativity.

Join authors Christos Tsiolkas and Vivian Blaxell, with the Sydney Review of Books editor James Jiang and literary critic Beejay Silcox for this feisty and furious dissection of art we hate – and why we need it for a robust artistic landscape to thrive.

In a conversation spanning culture, craft and the last hundred years of women’s history, don’t miss Debra Oswald in conversation with the author of All Women Want and Lifestyle editor of Guardian Australia, Alyx Gorman, discussing her latest book One Hundred Years of Betty.

What happens when four friends are suddenly thrown back to 1985? No smartphones, no internet and — horror of horrors— no bubble tea. For Shannon and her friends, this isn’t the first time something strange has happened.

Explore (de)colonisation, language preservation and revitalisation, oral storytelling traditions in this dynamic conversation between two Adivasi writers from India and two of our own First Nations writers, as part of Varuna the National Writers’ House First Peoples Exchange.

In a time of shifting family structures, evolving understandings of gender and sexuality, technological advances in fertility treatments, and competing schools of feminist thought, three authors consider contemporary definitions of motherhood, and reflect on age-old questions about nature, nurture and familial love.

Two of Australia’s most compelling storytellers confront the climate crisis through deeply human narratives. Walk the line between fact and fiction with them in conversation with science journalist Bianca Nogrady.

After the success of her two best known works, The Secret River and Restless Dolly Maunder, literary legend Kate Grenville sits down with Nicole Abadee for an honest conversation on her latest work and how she’s still grappling with what it means to be a descendant of colonisation in Australia.

In this free lunchtime event, meet five of the Elders featured in Elders Stories from Our Hearts, as they share their own stories, connecting visitors to this place, and celebrating our local stories and community heroes.

Be among the first to hear about Australian icon Bryan Brown’s newest thriller, The Hidden, in conversation with fellow actor and newly minted crime writer, Toby Schmitz.

Two incredible novelists will be led in conversation by poet Anne-Marie Te Whiu to explore the power of different expressions of yearning in their latest books.

These candid and witty writers will be hosted by comedian Jennifer Wong, in a conversation about family, fatherhood, climate anxiety, and how to cope in a changing world.

With vast wisdom and precise wit, two legends of First Nations storytelling meet in conversation, discussing the breadth of their craft, the fierceness of their politics and the depth of their understanding.

There’s no denying the popularity of romantasy – these books are flying off the shelves. Join these exciting new voices as they discuss their novels, what drew them to the genre, and how young women writers are changing the game.

Globalisation, new technologies, artificial intelligence and publishing trends are reshaping the complex art of translation. In this future-facing discussion, three award-winning translators explore these challenges and opportunities.

Urgent and essential, Randa Abdel-Fattah and Antony Loewenstein discuss After Zionism, a collection that brings together some of the world's leading thinkers to dissect the century-long conflict between Zionism and the Palestinians.

Stan Grant’s latest book Murriyang is talking to his country in a new way. Hear Stan discuss his most poetic and inspiring work yet with journalist and ABC Sydney host Rae Johnston as he offers a means of moving beyond the binaries and embracing a path to peace and forgiveness.

Listen to five brilliant poets at the top of their game read work from their latest collections, traversing love, migration, food, fatherhood, desire, identity, mental health, masculinity and revolution.

Accomplished authors Julie Janson and Tasma Walton offer counter narratives to the dominant colonial histories too often taught, and share the wealth of their knowledges with Blakfulla Bookclub’s Merinda Dutton.

Come together with experts in lifestyle, politics and evolving technologies to play a little game of hypotheticals, discussing how their extensive research informs their hope – or despair – for the decades to come.

Australian icon Kylie Minogue is the musical muse for a sparkling new anthology. Join three of its contributors – Christos Tsiolkas, Jessica White and Patrick Marlborough – as they share readings of original works inspired by songs from Kylie’s back catalogue in this joyful fusion of music and literature.

Three of the contributors from Words to Sing the World Alive, an exquisite celebration of First Nations languages, honour languages from across the continent, each penning an homage to their favourite and most significant words.

What does it take to include ghosts or spirits in your story, without risking your novel making its way onto the horror or fantasy shelves? Join debut novelists Steve MinOn and Natasha Rai as they discuss form, story and character, and the spirits haunting their work.

Acclaimed writer Drusilla Modjeska sits down with Nicole Abadee to discuss her richly illustrated book A Woman’s Eye, Her Art which focuses on six extraordinary female artists of the 20th century and why their work still matters.

Three award-winning authors Randa Abdel-Fattah, Hasib Hourani and Jumaana Abdu discuss the fiction and poetry of the Palestinian diaspora and its role in evoking empathy, building solidarity and effecting change, with writer and human rights lawyer Sara M Saleh.

Three outstanding authors Dominic Hoey, Vijay Khurana and Sofie Laguna chats with Marieke Hardy, as they reflect on our timeless fascination with youth, the epic nature of teenage narratives, and the art of writing fiction about young adults for grown-up readers.

Without a superyacht or spaceship, what options remain for those wishing to escape the end times? Antony Loewenstein and Carl Rhodes are joined by Walter Marsh, the author of Young Rupert: the Making of the Murdoch Empire to tackle just how bad things have become and, most importantly, what we can do about it.

Beyond statistics and stereotypes, an individual’s experience of ageing is deeply personal. Three brilliant women Vivian Blaxwell, Maxine Beneba Clarke and Debra Oswald interrogate the myths and truths about growing older, and discuss how they address these issues through their work.

Multi-award winning author Hannah Kent reflects on her recent memoir Always Homesick, Always Home with Amy Sambrooke to share the stranger-than-fiction story behind her bestselling debut Burial Rites.

What does it really take to break into the creative industries when you’re still finding your voice? How can writing build connection, community and change in a world that feels like it’s shifting every day?

What powers of perception, reflection and remembering are needed to craft a truly great memoir? And what tools can life writers use to extend memoir beyond memory to create literature that challenges, inspires and speaks to our times?

Whether you’re a seasoned poetry lover or someone who has always found this form a little intimidating, this event with Willo Drummond, James Jiang and David Stavanger will offer new ways to listen, interpret and connect with the written word.

Honour the profound musical and cultural legacy of Archie Roach – a Gunditjmara, Kirrae Whurrong/Djab Wurrung and Bundjalung man – and Ruby Hunter – a Ngarrindjeri, Kokatha and Pitjantjatjara woman, with stories, personal reflections, musical performances and poems by four powerful Indigenous voices.

Craig Reucassel in conversation with authors Walter Marsh and Royce Kurmelovs on their books that defy crime genre conventions despite technically being true crime.

Join Festival Creative Director and Queerstories Producer Maeve Marsden, along with some of her favourite LGBTQI+ writers from the program, as they share their own work, unexpected tales of pride, prejudice, resilience and resistance.

An intimate look inside women's love lives and pursuits of pleasure, All Women Want tackles the truth about why straight women aren't satisfied in the bedroom – and what to do about it.

A timely discussion with three of the country’s leading academics Melissa Phillips, Carl Rhodes and Sam Roggeveen on the tumultuous state of democracy, expertly facilitated by Beejay Silcox.

Craig Silvey in conversation with Nicole Abadee about the two bestsellers he wrote ten years apart, his skill for writing outcasts and misfits, and the impact of success on his craft and career.

Two giants of Australian crime fiction, Garry Disher and Candice Fox, reveal the secrets to sustaining a series - from researching cases and generating fresh ideas, to crafting communities that feel authentic and storylines that defy expectations.

Six big thinkers fight for the future in a great debate for our times inspired by the legacy of Blue Mountains environmentalist Mick Dark. Drawing on backgrounds in science, technology, journalism, mathematics and literature, two teams go head-to-head on whether we really are heading for doom.

Literary critic Beejay Silcox joins acclaimed novelist Christos Tsiolkas and debut author Steve MinOn in conversation as they reflect on their latest novels, exploring themes of desire, masculinity, ageing, class and queerness.