Rose Scott Women Writers Festival

The Rose Scott Women Writers Festival (RSWWF) showcases the rich diversity of contemporary Australian women writers across fiction and non-fiction, in print, performance, and digital media, exploring personal, social, and political issues. 

The RSWWF is Australia's only festival dedicated to women writers, described as "one of the most significant literary festivals on Sydney’s cultural calendar" (stella.org.au). Conceived with the mission of celebrating and promoting women writers, the festival aligns with Australia's National Cultural Policy, "Revive: a place for every story, a story for every place." Our festival is an essential part of this vibrant ecosystem, offering a platform for dialogue, discovery, and the celebration of women's contributions to literature.

See the line-up:

Wednesday 25 June

• 10am - 12pm Workshop 1: Finding the Story, Finding Your Voice

Thursday 26 June

• 4pm - 6pm Workshop 2: From Archive to Memoir: Crafting Life Stories

Friday 27 June

• 9:30am - 11:30am Workshop 3: Sounding Out Poetry

• 12pm - 2:30pm Opening Lunch: Suzanne Chick in conversation with Gina Chick

• 3:30pm - 4:15pm Pride, Prejudice, & Hormone Therapy: Austen for Our Times

• 5pm - 5:45pm Reboot the Narrative: AI, Authorship, and the Future of Literature

• 6:30pm - 7:30pm Hannah Kent in conversation with Nicole Abadee

Saturday 28 June

• 10am - 10:50am Jane Caro AM in conversation with Kate McClymont AM

• 11:45am - 12:45pm: Authoring Change: Women Who Dare to Disrupt

• 2pm - 3pm Recipe for a Nation: How Australian Food Culture Was Made

• 3:45pm - 4:30pm Charlotte McConaghy in conversation with Melissa Lee Speyer

• 5pm - 6:30pm Tasma Walton in conversation with Bronte Charles

• 7pm onwards Closing Soiree: Sounding Out Loud

Find out more and register

More about the festival

The Rose Scott Women Writers Festival was established in 2013 as an annual flagship event for The Women’s Club. Named after Rose Scott, one of the founders of The Women’s Club, it seeks to honour the memory of this influential woman who used her own writing – speeches, pamphlets, and letters – to influence social policy and improve the living conditions of women and children.

The Rose Scott Women Writers Festival remains a cornerstone for female authors to share their voices and stories. With a robust lineup of events and initiatives, RSWWF is poised for another successful decade. Join us as we continue to honour and advance the literary contributions of women.

Find out more and book