The NT Writers Festival (NTWF) is a four-day festival that emphasises Australia’s cultural and linguistic diversity, bringing people together to share story, language and culture.

This year’s festival takes place from 1-4 June 2023 in the glorious Olive Pink Botanic Garden in Mparntwe/Alice Springs and explores the theme of mwantye-le awaye | listen deeply.

In a world full of distractions, how do we take the time to listen deeply – to ourselves, to others, to the natural world? How do we shift our attention to the things that matter? In Arrernte, mwantye-le awaye means to listen closely, to give things attention. Deep, careful listening encourages understanding and awareness. It entails an openness or receptivity – to other people and ways of being in the world, to other species and the living land around us. It also involves listening to ourselves, as Arrernte Elder Kumalie Riley explains, giving ourselves the space to hear inner thoughts or feelings before responding or acting.

This festival we invite readers, writers and lovers of stories to come together and listen deeply – to each other, and to a diverse line-up of writers from across the country as they speak truths and share stories that help us hear the land, as well as the reverberations of the past and the possibility of a different future.

Our first lineup announcement features a quartet of exceptional writers – Anita Heiss, Geraldine Brooks, Chris Flynn and Gabrielle Wang – among the many artists joining us to illuminate this year’s festival theme. 

The full festival program is now available and tickets are on sale!

Looking for something to read on your trip? Head over to Red Kangaroo Books to check out their special NT Writers Festival display and grab some books off the Festival reading list!