24 August –
2 September
In the lead up to this year’s MWF, we’ve asked our favourite book bloggers for their #topfivepicks to read ahead of the event. New, old, already ear-marked or one to add to the bedside table – dive into a world of reading and get prepped for the Fest. In this blog, Tracey Allen of ‘Carpe Librum‘ shares…
Meet the incredibly diverse range of local and international artists joining us to share tales of joy, survival, hope, love, and letting go.
For ten days, the Melbourne Writers Festival invites audiences to connect through words, experiences, and what it means to be together, alive.
by Marieke Hardy, MWF Artistic Director I am beyond giddy to begin my adventures with MWF and the team of goodhearts here. Stepping into Lisa Dempster’s formidable shoes is both daunting and a great honour – I’ve loved the world and community Lisa has built over the last five years and can only doff my…
2017 marks the last for Lisa Dempster as festival director and CEO of MWF. We asked for her favourite moments from an incredible five years at the helm. Over the last five years I have experienced a million magical Festival moments that I believe could not happen at any place other than at MWF. Here…
Melbourne Writers Festival has announced a new leadership team for MWF18 and beyond. Writer, producer and literary critic Marieke Hardy will become the festival’s Artistic Director, with Shona Barrett moving into the role of CEO. Board Chair John Myers said Marieke Hardy would build on the success of MWF Festival Director and CEO Lisa Dempster,…
MWF understands that the value of storytelling extends beyond the written form, and traditional platforms. For MWF 2017, we’ve engaged six exciting voices to not only report on this year’s Festival in new and innovative ways, but welcome us into the digital spaces they inhabit so well. In the lead-up to, as well as during,…
At Melbourne Writers Festival, we put readers first. While bringing our own literary knowledge, networks and expertise to the table, we respond to the passions and interests of Melbourne’s readers when building our events – in fact, our audience helps us create the Festival. This year, our audience played a part in designing the Festival…
Each year MWF audiences bring the Festival to life by responding passionately to the ideas and writing at the heart of our events – through conversations online, live at our events, or in bars and restaurants afterwards. As Festival Director, I strive to weave opportunities for reflection, discussion and feedback into everything MWF does as…
At MWF, interns play a vital role in delivering the Festival and become true members of our Festival family. We love having interns as part of our team and do our best to provide a meaningful (and memorable) experience for them. Here’s what a few of last year’s interns said about their experience at…
I was lucky to take part in the Atelier for Young Festival Managers which took place in Poznan, Poland last week. The aim of the Atelier is to discuss the artistic aspects of festival management, including inspiring artists, delighting and challenging audiences, political and social responsibility, internationalism and sustainability. With 41 festival directors and 4…
Oslo Davis draws cartoons for Melbourne’s The Age as well as a weekly cartoon called Overheard in the Sunday Age. MWF loves his illustrations and we know you do too! Oslo has long been a Festival favourite, and we are proud to provide a platform for his work alongside the 350+ Victorian writers, commentators and illustrators we feature in our…
