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Adelaide Writers' Week Cancelled After Backlash Over Palestinian Author
Mass withdrawals and board resignations follow the disinvitation of Palestinian-Australian author Randa Abdel-Fattah, leading to the event’s collapse.
- Publish date: since 5 days Reading time: two min read
The 2026 edition of Adelaide Writers’ Week has been officially cancelled after an escalating controversy surrounding the removal of Palestinian-Australian author Dr. Randa Abdel-Fattah from the event’s programme triggered a wave of withdrawals from prominent authors and the resignation of festival leadership.
The Adelaide Festival board’s decision, citing “cultural sensitivities” in the wake of national tensions following Australia’s worst terror attack in Bondi Beach, sparked immediate backlash from the literary community and public figures alike. More than 180 authors and speakers, including internationally recognised writers, withdrew from the festival in protest, making it untenable to proceed with the planned literary programme.
In the face of mounting criticism, Louise Adler, director of Adelaide Writers’ Week, resigned from her post, denouncing the board’s action as a form of censorship and a threat to free speech. Adler, a respected figure in the literary world, said she could not support an event that excluded voices based on political considerations.
The controversy deepened when the remaining members of the Adelaide Festival board, save for a representative of the Adelaide City Council, stepped down amid the turmoil, effectively leaving the festival without its organising body and prompting the event’s cancellation.
Dr. Abdel-Fattah, who had been scheduled to appear at Writers’ Week to discuss her work, rejected the board’s later apology over how the decision was communicated, framing the controversy as a broader issue of racial and political bias. She has also indicated she is considering legal options in response to the fallout.
The cancellation of Adelaide Writers’ Week, one of Australia’s most prestigious free literary events, has ignited a wider national debate around freedom of expression, artistic autonomy and the politicisation of cultural festivals. Government officials have sought to distance themselves from the decision, while public discourse continues to simmer over the implications for creative and intellectual freedoms in the country.
This article was previously published on bahrainmoments. To see the original article, click here