Adelaide writers’ week sacrificed to save city’s prestigious arts festival, documents show
Summary
Adelaide Writers’ Week was canceled in 2026 to protect the larger Adelaide Festival, which greatly benefits South Australia’s economy. The cancellation followed controversy over removing Palestinian Australian academic Randa Abdel-Fattah, which led many artists and companies to threaten withdrawing from the festival.Key Facts
- Adelaide Writers’ Week is part of the Adelaide Festival, an event contributing over $60 million yearly to South Australia’s economy.
- The festival board removed Randa Abdel-Fattah from the Writers’ Week program, sparking protests and artist withdrawals.
- Three board members resigned, and the chairperson stepped down amid the controversy.
- Many Australian theater and dance companies considered pulling out of the festival after the boycotts began.
- The festival feared a global wave of cancellations due to allegations of censorship and government interference.
- Internal documents recommended canceling Writers’ Week quickly to prevent further withdrawals and protect the overall festival’s reputation.
- Adelaide Writers’ Week director Louise Adler urged a public apology to Abdel-Fattah and cancellation of the 2026 event before resigning.
- Premier Peter Malinauskas denied pressuring the festival, but documents suggest his letter sparked the crisis.
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