The Adelaide Writers’ Week has been cancelled for 2026, following a decision by the Adelaide Festival Board that has triggered widespread withdrawals from the program and the resignation of almost the entire board.
In a statement released on 13 January 2026, the Adelaide Festival Board confirmed it had made the decision on 8 January to rescind the invitation of Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah to participate in Adelaide Writers’ Week 2026. The statement said “As a Board we took this action out of respect for a community experiencing the pain from a devastating event. Instead, this decision has created more division and for that we express our sincere apologies.”
Following the decision, many authors announced they would no longer appear at the event. The Adelaide Festival said this made it no longer possible for Adelaide Writers’ Week 2026 to proceed as scheduled, describing the cancellation as “a deeply regrettable outcome.”
The board acknowledged the distress caused by the decision, recognising the impact on audiences, artists and writers, donors, corporate partners, government, and staff. It also issued a direct apology to Dr Abdel-Fattah for how the decision was represented, stating the matter was “not about identity or dissent but rather a continuing rapid shift in the national discourse around the breadth of freedom of expression in our nation following Australia’s worst terror attack in history.”
In the same statement, the board said it was committed to rebuilding trust with both the artistic community and audiences, with the aim of enabling open and respectful discussions at future Adelaide Writers’ Week events.
Despite the cancellation of Writers’ Week, the Adelaide Festival confirmed its focus is now on ensuring the broader festival proceeds successfully in 2026, while safeguarding South Australia’s cultural legacy and supporting staff delivering the event.
To support an orderly transition, all remaining members of the Adelaide Festival Board will step down effective today, with the exception of the Adelaide City Council representative whose term expires on 2 February 2026. The move is intended to allow a new board to be appointed to secure the success of the 2026 Adelaide Festival and future events.
Read the statement in full below:
On 8 January 2026 the Adelaide Festival Board made a decision to rescind the invitation of Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah to participate in Adelaide Writers’ Week 2026.
As a Board we took this action out of respect for a community experiencing the pain from a devastating event. Instead, this decision has created more division and for that we express our sincere apologies.
Many authors have since announced they will no longer appear at Adelaide Writers’ Week 2026 and it is the Adelaide Festival’s position that the event can no longer go ahead as scheduled for this year. This is a deeply regrettable outcome.
We recognise and deeply regret the distress this decision has caused to our audience, artists and writers, donors, corporate partners, the government and our own staff and people. We also apologise to Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah for how the decision was represented and reiterate this is not about identity or dissent but rather a continuing rapid shift in the national discourse around the breadth of freedom of expression in our nation following Australia’s worst terror attack in history.
We acknowledge and are committed to rebuilding trust with our artistic community and audience to enable open and respectful discussions at future Adelaide Writers’ Week events.
The focus is now on ensuring a successful Adelaide Festival proceeds in a way which safeguards the long and rich cultural legacy of our state but also protects the hardworking staff delivering this important event.
With this in mind all remaining members of the Adelaide Festival Board will today step down – with the exception of Adelaide City Council representative whose term expires on 2 February 2026 – to allow for an orderly transition to a new Board to secure the success of the 2026 Adelaide Festival and beyond.
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