Sydney Writers' Festival

What are the dates of the 2012 Sydney Writers' Festival?
May 2012

When will the program be announced?
The Sydney Writers' Festival Program will be available here on the SWF website in April 2012 and released in The Sydney Morning Herald as a liftout in 'Spectrum'. The program will also be available from bookshops and libraries throughout Sydney.

Where does the Festival take place?
Many events take place at Pier 4/5 and Sydney Theatre at Walsh Bay. We also use other city venues including Sydney Town Hall, City Recital Hall, Sydney Opera House and The Mint. In 2011, our regional and suburban program included events in Parramatta, Ashfield, Auburn, Blacktown, Bankstown, Hornsby, Penrith, the Blue Mountains and Wollongong.

Do I need to buy tickets to attend SWF events?
The Festival is made up of a combination of ticketed and free events.

Tickets to paid events can be purchased after the program is released in April. Ticket prices and booking details are listed against each event in the program. Details of how and where to buy tickets are also listed on the SWF website. Paid events do sell out so it is recommended that you purchase tickets in advance.

Admission to free events at Pier 4/5 is on a first come, first served basis. Bookings are not taken for these events. Patrons are encouraged to arrive early as free events are extremely popular and seats are limited.

The majority of free events held at regional and suburban venues require that you reserve a seat in advance. Booking details are listed against each event in the program.

Can I volunteer?
Yes! Each year Sydney Writers' Festival recruits a team of approximately 200 volunteers, without whom the Festival would not be possible. For more information on becoming a volunteer please visit the Volunteers page on our website.

I am a writer. Can I present my work at the Festival?
Invitations are issued at the discretion of the Artistic Director, who creates the program well ahead of each Festival.

Each year the Festival receives many hundreds of unsolicited submissions from authors wishing to speak at the Festival or people putting forward an idea for the program. We welcome these suggestions, but due to the large volume of unsolicited submissions received, SWF is unable to respond to every submission or return materials sent for consideration.

Can I recommend an author for the Festival?
The Festival receives hundreds of requests and pitches every year from a range of people and organisations who would like to recommend their favourite authors or have an idea for an event.

You are welcome to recommend an author for consideration through our online form, but be aware that due to the sheer volume of suggestions, we are unable to respond to each suggestion.

I am a writer. Can I present my work to publishers during Sydney Writers' Festival?
While publishers do attend Sydney Writers' Festival, the Festival is not the appropriate avenue to present your book to publishers. Publishers who are attending are either audience members or involved in specific events discussing books and authors who are already published.

We recommend that you approach publishers through the usual channels, either by submitting your manuscript directly or by engaging a literary agent.

I am a writer. How do I get my work published?
If you need advice on getting your book published, please visit the websites of the Australian Society of Authors or Australian Publishers Association.

Can you put me in touch with an author on the program?
For privacy reasons, we are not able to pass on contact details for authors attending Sydney Writers' Festival. We also cannot pass on messages. The best way to contact our guest authors is through their publisher or agent.