Adelaide City Council will consider providing financial and venue support for an alternative literary festival to replace the cancelled 2026 Adelaide Writers' Week. The council will discuss the matter at a special meeting on Monday.
The original Writers' Week, scheduled for February 28 to March 5, was cancelled after organisers withdrew an invitation to Palestinian Australian author Randa Abdel-Fattah, sparking a national controversy and author boycott. Despite the Adelaide Festival Board apologising and reinviting Abdel-Fattah, the event remains cancelled.
Writers SA and local publisher Pink Shorts Press have been coordinating on a new festival to fill the void. Councillor Keiran Snape has proposed a motion for the council to enter discussions with Writers SA to assist in curating and managing an alternative event in February or March 2026. The motion also requests the Adelaide Economic Development Agency to provide funding and make council-owned venues available.
Lord Mayor Jane Lomax-Smith expressed scepticism about organising such a major event within six weeks without the administrative infrastructure of the Adelaide Festival. However, she confirmed she would attend the meeting with an open mind.
Pink Shorts Press co-director Margot Lloyd highlighted the importance of the festival for local authors, noting the lost exposure and book sales. She said many authors had already scheduled travel to Adelaide for Writers' Week, making an alternative event feasible despite the tight timeframe.
