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Festival Program

Event

MWF Big Debate: Sport vs Literature

Sat 6 May, 6.30pm
The Capitol

Melburnians are just as likely to be found kicking a footy as reading a book, but when it comes to sport and literature, which one really matters the most? Do iconic on-field moments measure up to the impact of decade-defining books? Should we be funding writers like we do athletes? And who actually gets access to sporting and literary spaces?

Two teams of our wisest and wittiest minds make the case for each side in this year’s Big Debate, brought to you by First Nations Curator Ellen van Neerven. Sporting fanatics Osman Faruqi, Konrad Marshall and Chelsea Watego go up against literature lovers John Harvey, Toni Jordan and Shelley Ware, under the careful eye of adjudicator Nayuka Gorrie. Hosted by Tarneen Onus Browne.

Duration

1 hour

20% early-bird discount until 11.59pm, Thursday 6 April
Flexible refund policy
Community tickets for First Nations peoples
Convenient public transport and parking options
Coffee, bars and dining options nearby
Readings bookshops available plus book signings
Over 80% of our 2022 guests felt MWF helped them gain new insights about the world, held their interest and were inclusive, well-produced and topical! (With more than 70% keen to attend again!)

Tickets

20% early-bird discount until 11.59pm, Thursday 6 April
Flexible refund policy
Community tickets for First Nations peoples
Convenient public transport and parking options
Coffee, bars and dining options nearby
Readings bookshops available plus book signings
Over 80% of our 2022 guests felt MWF helped them gain new insights about the world, held their interest and were inclusive, well-produced and topical! (With more than 70% keen to attend again!)

Event artists

Osman Faruqi is an award-winning journalist. He is the culture editor at The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald, and the host of The Drop, a weekly culture podcast

John is an acclaimed writer, director and producer across theatre and film and the Creative Director of Brown Cabs. His theatre writing credits include The Return (2023 Victorian Premier’s Literary Award for Drama), He...

Toni Jordan’s novels include the international bestseller Addition, the Indie-award winning Nine Days, and the family comedy Dinner with the Schnabels. Toni holds a Bachelor of Science and a PhD in Creative Arts. Her l...

Konrad Marshall is a senior writer for Good Weekend magazine. An acclaimed longform journalist specialising in sport, art and science, his work has appeared in The Age and The Sydney Morning He...

Tarneen Onus Browne is a proud Gunditjmara, Bindal, Yorta Yorta person and Torres Strait Islander from Mer and Erub islands. Tarneen is living on the unceded land of the Wurundjeri peoples. Tarneen is a community organis...

Shelley Ware is a proud Yankunytjatjara and Wirangu woman from Tandanya/Adelaide who currently lives in Naarm/Melbourne. She is highly regarded AFL media presenter with over two decades experience and is well known for h...

Chelsea Watego is a Munanjahli and South Sea Islander woman born and raised on Yuggera country. First trained as an Aboriginal health worker, she is an Indigenist health humanities scholar, prolific writer and public int...

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