Private donors to the Sydney Writers’ Festival are reconsidering up to $500,000 of annual support, concerned the festival is becoming too partisan after the departure of former chair Kathy Shand.

Just three weeks before the announcement of its 2025 program on Thursday, Shand wrote a resignation letter to the rest of board, warning that the Festival’s championing of freedom of expression “should not be used as a justification to accept language and conversations that compromise the festival as a safe and inclusive space for all audiences”.