Adelaide Writers' Week 2026 cancelled after mass withdrawals over Abdel-Fattah disinvitation

Adelaide Writers' Week 2026 has been cancelled after more than 180 authors and speakers withdrew in protest of the festival board's decision to disinvite Palestinian Australian writer Randa Abdel-Fattah. The festival board apologised to Abdel-Fattah 'for how the decision was represented', and the three remaining board members resigned immediately following earlier departures, with the Adelaide city council representative to remain until a February term expiry.

The board said it had intervened to drop Abdel-Fattah citing 'cultural sensitivities' after the attack on the Jewish community in Bondi, and described the decision as reflecting a 'rapid shift in the national discourse' following what it called Australia’s worst terror attack in history.

It said the action, taken out of respect for a community in pain, had instead created division and caused 'deeply regrettable' distress to audiences, artists, donors, partners and staff. Abdel-Fattah rejected the apology as 'disingenuous', saying it 'adds insult to injury' and accusing the board of targeting her as a Palestinian Australian Muslim woman.

She said the board's regret related to how her cancellation was conveyed rather than the cancellation itself, and that the Bondi shooting did not mean she or others must stop advocating for an end to the occupation.

Key Topics

Culture, Adelaide Writers' Week, Randa Abdel-fattah, Adelaide Festival, South Australia, Judy Potter