Program Changes

The following events have changed since the publication of the 2025 Sydney Writers' Festival Program Guide.

DATE UPDATE: Portrait of a Collector has moved to Sunday 18 May 2–3pm at the Art Gallery of NSW, Meers Hall (it was previously scheduled for Sunday 25 May, 2–3pm).

CANCELLED EVENT: Jumaana Abdu: Translations on Monday 19 May, 6–7pm at Hurstville Library and Service Centre is no longer taking place.

NEW EVENT: Mariana Enriquez en Conversación. This event will take place on Wednesday 21 May from 7.30–8.30pm at the State Library of NSW, Library Auditorium. This will be a conversation in Spanish with captioned English translation available.
CANCELLED EVENT: Best of the Fest on Wednesday 21 May, 2.30–3.30pm at The Library Auditorium, State Library of NSW is no longer taking place.
NEW EVENT: Anne Summers: 50 Years of Damned Whores and God’s Police. Due to popular demand a second session of this event has been added on Wednesday 21 May, 2.30–3.30pm at the State Library of NSW, Library Auditorium.

CANCELLED EVENT: Joe Aston on What He Learned about Qantas on Thursday 22 May, 11.30am–12pm at Carriageworks, Bay 24 is no longer taking place.
VENUE UPDATE: The Bogong: Now Is the Hour has moved from Carriageworks, Bay 19 to Carriageworks, Bay 24.
VENUE UPDATE: Home and Homesick has moved from Carriageworks, Track 12 to Carriageworks, Track 8.
VENUE UPDATE: Nikki Gemmell: Wing has moved from Carriageworks, Track 8 to Carriageworks, Track 12.
EVENT UPDATE: Ittay Flescher: The Holy and the Broken on Thursday 22 May, 8–9pm has been renamed Ittay Flescher: A Voice from Jerusalem.

VENUE & TIME UPDATE: Samantha Harvey: Orbital has moved to Friday 23 May, 6–7pm at Sydney Town Hall (it was previously scheduled for Saturday 24 May, 7.30–8.30pm at Carriageworks, Bay 17).
DATE UPDATE: SMH Best Young Novelists has moved to Friday 23 May, 4.15–5.15pm at Carriageworks, Bay 24 (it was previously scheduled for Saturday 24 May, 4–5pm).
VENUE UPDATE: 2025 Stella Prize Winner Announcement has moved from Carriageworks, Track 8 to Carriageworks, Track 12.
VENUE UPDATE: The End of the West? Global Roaming LIVE has moved from Carriageworks, Track 12 to Carriageworks, Track 8.
NEW EVENT: Colm Tóibín: From Brooklyn to Long Island. Due to popular demand a second session of this event has been added on Friday 23 May, 8–9pm in Carriageworks, Bay 20, The ARA Stage.
VENUE UPDATE: Big Beginnings has moved from Carriageworks, Bay 20, The ARA Stage to Carriageworks, Bay 24.

NEW EVENT: Maggie O’Farrell: Portrait of a Writer. This event will take place via video link on Saturday 24 May, 6.30–7.30pm at Carriageworks Bay 20, The ARA Stage.
VENUE & TIME UPDATE: Asako Yuzuki: Butter has moved to Saturday 24 May, 7.30–8.30pm at Carriageworks Bay 17 (it was previously scheduled for Saturday 24 May, 6.30–7.30pm at Carriageworks, Bay 20, The ARA Stage).
VENUE & TIME UPDATE: Michael Gawenda on Being a Jew in Contemporary Australia has moved to Thursday 22 May, 7–8pm at Carriageworks, Bay 19 (it was previously scheduled for Thursday 22 May, 1.30–2pm at Carriageworks, Bay 24). This is now a paid event and tickets are Adult $25, Concession $15.
DATE UPDATE: STEMminist Book Club has moved to Saturday 24 May, 3.30–4.30pm at Carriageworks, Bay 24 (it was previously scheduled for Friday 23 May 5–6pm).
CANCELLED EVENT: Sayaka Murata: Vanishing World on Saturday 24 May, 1–2pm at Carriageworks, Bay 20, The ARA Stage is no longer taking place.
NEW EVENT: Robbie Arnott: Dusk. Due to popular demand a second session of this event has been added on Saturday 24 May, 1–2pm at Carriageworks, Track 8.
VENUE UPDATE: Philippe Sands: 38 Londres Street has moved from Carriageworks, Track 8 to Carriageworks, Bay 20, The ARA Stage.
CANCELLED EVENT: Dreams of the Future on Saturday 24 May, 8–9.15pm at Sydney Town Hall is no longer taking place.

EVENT UPDATE: Sayaka Murata and Asako Yuzuki on Sunday 25 May, 12–1pm. Unfortunately, Sayaka Murata is no longer ale to attend the Festival. This event will proceed as Asako Yuzuki in Japanese. Asako will discuss her career to date and the international rise of Japanese literature. This event will be conducted in Japanese, with open-captioned English translation.
NEW EVENT: Jessica Townsend in Conversation. Due to popular demand a second session of this event has been added on Sunday 25 May, 9.30–10.15am at Carriageworks, Track 8.