NT Writers Festival

The NT Writers Festival (NTWF) returns to Mparntwe/Alice Springs 27-30 May 2027.

NTWF is a four-day festival that brings the community together to share story, language and culture. It is a vibrant festival where ‘place is presenced’ and in which the values respect, accessibility,
illumination, creativity and diversity are embedded in all we do. The program includes locals and welcome those from afar. It unearts new talent, and features them alongside established writers. Equally the festival welcome writers from across the nation and the globe. Side by side, sharing thoughts and experiences, the local community will hear new voices and ideas, while visitors will be
immersed in a rich NT experience. We are developing a reputation as a national leader in amplifying Australian First Nations voices, as well as linguistic and cultural diversity. It will afford all local individuals and communities the opportunity to share their stories.

Held annually in iconic outdoor locations, the festival alternates between Garramilla / Darwin and Mparntwe / Alice Springs. With a thousand miles between locations, the festival shifts from the tropics to the desert, from coastal to inland, from Larrakia to Arrernte Country, creating a character which reflects the diversity – environmental, cultural and social – of the Northern Territory itself.

Founded in 1999, NTWF has hosted an impressive array of some of Australia’s most distinguished writers, thinkers and storytellers, including Charlotte Wood, Gina Chick, Bruce Pascoe, Kim Mahood, Christos Tsiolkas, Hannah Kent, Trent Dalton, Rick Morton, Larissa Behrendt and Alexis Wright.

‘The perfect small festival…exactly the right atmosphere to explore big and complex ideas in the company of generous minds. All in a location reminding us that stories are the foundation of every civilisation.’ – Morris Gleitzman

Book your Tickets View the Full Program

Photo credit: Paz Tassone

Video credit: Reelwire Productions

If you are interested in partnering with us on the 2026 NT Writers Festival, please contact executive@ntwriters.com.au. To find out more about the benefits of sponsorship, download our latest sponsorship package.

PRINCIPAL SPONSORS

REGIONAL SPONSORS

LITERARY SPONSORS

COMMUNITY SPONSORS

Photos in gallery above: Campfire Stories (Oliver Eclipse Photography); Trent Dalton and Liz Trevaskis (Paz Tassone); Words on the Wharf (Paz Tassone); Eunice Andrada (Oliver Eclipse).