Fear and loathing at Adelaide writers’ week

Readers lament the loss of a convivial and inspiring atmosphere at Adelaide Writers’ Week, where dogma has replaced debate.

Adelaide Festival Corporation chair Tracey Whiting. Picture: Supplied

Thank you for your correspondence in response to last week’s Come Writers and Critics column. I have been feeling uneasy about the ugly role being played by literary festivals in our culture, and it seems that many of you – readers, writers, booklovers – feel the same.

It used to be so much fun: you could go along, sit in the sunshine, and have a glass of wine, and you’d be guaranteed a stimulating conversation, and maybe even a belly laugh. Organisers have for years been telling sponsors and funding bodies that these festivals exist to bring people together for the exchange of ideas. As one reader said: “I used to go to Adelaide to see genuine writers … there was a feeling of anticipation and excitement, people with extraordinary stories to tell, and great messages to communicate.”

Now?

Adelaide Writers’ Week will be filled to the gills with anti-Israel speakers.

Adelaide Writers’ Week will in March be filled to the gills with anti-Israel speakers. It was the same last year, of course. That’s their jam. They aren’t interested in trying to bring people together. The conflict in the Middle East is an absolute tragedy, and all they want to do is point score. We shouted down other people of goodwill, doxxed and smeared them, and everyone cheered for us, hooray! As one reader said: “It’s scary, because it divides the Australian community. It doesn’t put us on the road to engagement, not at all. It isn’t about tolerance, and finding common ground. It’s about hating one side, over the other.” Another said: “People are already abusing each other about the Middle East. How does this do anything other than divide us further?” Another said: “To select panels without any attempt to balance differing views is absolutely not right.” Another said: “I don’t know what ordinary Australians can do to rescue this once respected and valued festival from promoting bigotry and hatred.” Another said: “I gave up on writers’ festivals some time ago – same old faces saying the same old things – ho-hum group think dressed up as controversy – to the same old crowd.”

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The Outback Writers Festival celebrates Australian storytelling

So, should you give up on festivals?

Absolutely not! There will be some great writers in Adelaide; take a look at the program, and I’m sure you’ll find something that won’t make you feel like you already know what they’re going to say.

That said, if you just can’t bear it, maybe try the small festivals across the country. The Outback Writers Festival, in Winton, for example. I mean, look at its lovely mission statement:

• To engage writers and readers who will continue to enjoy and advocate for more Australian stories.

• To encourage the children of isolated and rural families and Indigenous children to engage in more reading and writing of stories that they can associate with.

• To promote the Outback as an important tourism destination for Australian and overseas visitors.

• To tell the stories of the Outback as an iconic Australian cultural art form.

• To tell the history of the Australian Outback, the Indigenous people and their culture and the generations of settlers that opened this frontier as well as those who live in it today.

You can go along knowing that the Outback Writers Festival supports the charity founded in the Outback for the people of the Outback: the Royal Flying Doctor Service.

One of the highlights this year will be the short-story competition. Entries are due April 26 so you need to get a wriggle on.

You also need to get in early and book your accommodation as Winton fills up pretty quickly in June, because it’s cooler. The website is here: outbackwritersfestival.com.au.

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The Kimberley Writers Festival has a great line-up

But maybe you want to go even further west? Then don’t miss the truly magnificent Kimberley Writers Festival, whose co-director, Emma Day, writes to say:

“We’re back slightly bigger (seven guests) and better this year, after taking a break last year.

“We’ve got bright sunflower yellow shirts and a great line up. Dates are 2, 3 and 4 August, so slightly cooler and able to capture the tourists. We’ve also been able to book out the Gourmet Camp Oven Experience which will replace the murder mystery night.”

The line-up, in alphabetical order is: Amanda Betts, Sally Hepworth, Molly Hunt, Natasha Lester, Jessica Rowe, Michael Trant, Scott Wilson

How good does that look? And it’s in the Kimberley, which is about as beautiful as Australia gets. More details to come.

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There was a lovely event at the Wheeler Centre in Melbourne on Monday, with the launch, by Tony Birch, of a Melbourne Poets’ Union poetry anthology, Finding My Feet. Geoffrey Lehmann provides one of the cover notes. He says the collection is wonderful. There was guitar by Floyd Thursby, canapes and drinks, and poetry readings. Viva poetica!

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Author Marion Halligan has died.

Sad new: the writer Marion Halligan died on 19 February at the age of 83. She was a gorgeous writer. Her latest book, Words for Lucy, was sublime. It was about the premature death of her daughter. My favourite of her books was probably The Fog Garden (2001) about the fog of grief as a woman tries to find her feet after her husband of 30 years dies. Halligan served as chair of the Literature Board of the Australia Council; she was shortlisted for the Miles Franklin and won the ACT Book of the Year three times. In 2022, the ACT Writers Centre was renamed Marion in recognition of her achievements. She was ace, and will be missed.

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This week’s pages: Peter Craven has interviewed Richard Ford, who is coming to Australia for events in Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide. We have a review of American Mother, which reveals the truly hopeless way the Americans went about trying to save the life of hostage James Foley, before he was beheaded. I’m thrilled to be publishing a review of Jane Tara’s book. Jane works at Better Reading, whose founder is Cheryl Akle, who is one of the editors of our Notable Books column, which you’ll find today on page 14. It’s fabulous to be able to feature both of them. Also today: Antonella Gambotto-Burke looks back on lockdown, and Joy Lawn’s interview with the new children’s book laureate is wonderful. As ever, my email for feedback is [e-mail]