The 2021 NT Writers Festival has been cancelled. But a number of exciting local events are going ahead, and a selection of talks and panel discussions will be made available online as on demand content as part of our special September sessions. 

Don’t miss these exciting local events still happening over the festival weekend:

• Book launch: Tough, Tantalizing or Tasty – Peter Latz
• Book launch: The Last Muster – Leonie Norrington – now taking place on Sat 28 Aug, 1pm at Red Kangaroo Books
• Cuttings – A play by Jo Dutton
• Gathering Ground: Shimmer – workshop with Kelly Lee Hickey

The Writing History – Eleanor Hogan workshop has been postponed to the 19 September, 10am-12pm in the same location. Talk: Peace Crimes – Kieran Finnane has been postponed to Sat 9 Sep. Ticket holders to the Peace Crimes talk have been refunded and we will make a new ticketing link for the new event available soon.

All ticket holders to cancelled events will be refunded.

Thank you to our audiences, artists and sponsors for your wonderful enthusiasm and support for this year’s program. We could never have got this far without you all.

We are delighted to announce that multi award-winning writers Laura Jean McKay and Omar Sakr will be joining us at this year’s NT Writers Festival, alongside celebrated Ngukurr Elder and artist Karen Rogers and one of Australia’s leading historians Mark McKenna. 

Laura Jean McKay’s wildly original debut novel, The Animals In That Country, which won the 2021 Victorian Prize for Literature, upends the usual assumptions about the animal kingdom. Arab-Australian writer Omar Sakr’s visceral yet deeply lyrical poetry confronts issues of family, identity and nation. His most recent collection The Lost Arabs won the 2020 Prime Minister’s Literary Award for poetry. 

With stunning artwork and a lyrical text in Kriol and English, Karen Rogers’ picture book, Main Abija – My Grandad, is at once a tribute to her much-loved grandfather and a celebration of Aboriginal culture and country. Mark McKenna’s compelling history, Return to Uluru, is a story of recognition and return that goes to the very heart of the country.

These brilliant writers are part of an exciting program, yet to be announced, featuring four days of talks, performances and immersive experiences in an unforgettable location, the Olive Pink Botanic Garden in Mparntwe/Alice Springs.

Full program launch and tickets available Thursday 22nd July.

A writer, journalist and essayist whose work illuminates the weight of history on migrant lives; a West Australian novelist who explores the perspectives of those often misunderstood or overlooked; a powerful new First Nations voice whose work sings of ancient connections; and an award-winning journalist and non-fiction author who candidly reveals the struggles of those less fortunate.

We are thrilled to announce that Alice Pung, Craig Silvey, Nardi Simpson and Rick Morton are among the talented writers who will be appearing at this year’s NT Writers Festival.

Join us as the NT Writers Festival returns to the glorious Olive Pink Botanic Garden in Mparntwe/Alice Springs for four inspiring days of words, performance, discussions, immersive experiences, storied walks and more.

Stay tuned on our website or follow us on Facebook for more line-up announcements and festival news!

L-R: Alice Pung, Craig Silvey, Nardi Simpson, Rick Morton
Photo Credit: Courtney Brown, Daniel James Grant, Perry Duffin

We are thrilled to unveil the theme for the 2021 NT Writers Festival – Alice Springs: anpernirrentye | everything is connected.

This year’s theme draws from the Arrernte concept of anpernirrentye, the Arrernte relationship system, which describes the way in which everything is connected to everything else – people, animals, land, language and culture. Last year our interconnectedness with the larger web of life was illuminated like never before, as we reckoned with firestorms, floods and a global pandemic, and felt the fragility of the systems we depend upon. This festival we bring our minds to anpernirrentye and the connections between all things.

With thanks to Arrernte language and cultural consultant Veronica Dobson for her assistance in developing the theme and to the 2021 NT Writers Festival Advisory Committee: Sylvia Purrurle Neale, Leni Shilton, Meg Mooney and Gabriel Curtin.

In 2021 NT Writers Festival returns to Mparntwe, Alice Springs. (more…)

Our long-time Alice Springs program manager Fiona Dorrell is taking to the tropics from the desert to direct the 2020 NT Writers Festival. (more…)

The 2020 Writers Festival theme is out!

Gunamidirra garawa birditj, Larrakia for when the tides turn explores our moments of change. (more…)

Announcing the first line-up of writers joining us for the 2019 NT Writers’ Festival–Alice Springs. (more…)

We’re thrilled to announce that NT Writers’ Festival–Alice Springs will take place 16-19 May 2019.

Keep an eye on our website for announcements and details.

We can’t wait to see you there again!

2017 NT Writers’ Festival Satellite Session at Ngukurr Art Centre–Image courtesy of Courtney Collins

The Satellite Sessions was a pilot livestream program that took place as part of the 2017 NT Writers’ Festival.

To all the wonderful audience members who made our 2017 NT Writers’ Festival such a success, we would love your feedback!

Please follow the below link to complete our Audience Survey.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/XBNBJ3T

(more…)

Are you based outside of Alice Springs and interested in being audience to the NT Writers’ Festival 2017? There may be a participating venue near you.

For the first time ever, the NT Writers’ Centre is trialling Satellite Sessions, bringing festival sessions livestreamed directly from the NT Writers’ Festival to libraries and other community venues across the Northern Territory.

Featuring the Festival’s Saturday program of panels, author talks and presentations with writers, songwomen and storytellers from the NT and beyond. Satellite audiences will be able to participate in Q&A sessions live.

This year’s theme is Iwerre-Atherre | Crossings.

The following libraries and organisations are currently confirmed to hold Festival Satellite Sessions:

Barkly Regional Arts, Tennant Creek

Saturday 20 May, 9:15am-5:15pm

Sunday 21 May, 9:40am-5:15pm

Batchelor Institute Library, Batchelor

Saturday 20 May,  9:15am-5:15pm

Sunday 21 May, 9:40am-5:15pm 

Borroloola Library

Saturday 20 May,  9:15am-5:15pm

Sunday 21 May, 9:40am-5:15pm 

Darwin City Library, Civic Centre

Saturday 20 May,  9:15am-5:15pm

Ngukurr Arts Centre

Saturday 20 May,  9:15am-5:15pm

Palmerston Library

Saturday 20 May, 10am-1pm

Sunday 21 May, 1-4pm

Port Augusta Library  

(special SA guests)

Saturday 20 May, 10am-1pm

Sunday 21 May, 1:45-5:15pm

Click Here to see a current copy of the Satellite Sessions 17–Program