Melbourne Writers Festival
Melbourne Writers Festival (MWF) is an annual literary festival held in the Australian city of Melbourne, a UNESCO City of Literature. The Festival runs during early September each year. Melbourne Writers Festival is part of the Word Alliance, a partnership of eight international literary festivals which support and showcase the work of writers. In 2020, MWF was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequently ran an entirely digital program, curated by Associate Director, Gene Smith. In September 2020, the Melbourne Writers Festival appointed Michaela McGuire to the role of Artistic Director, replacing Marieke Hardy who created the 2018 and 2019 festivals. History MWF was founded in 1986 as a joint initiative between the Melbourne International Festival of the Arts and the City of Melbourne. It was organised as a sister festival to the Spoleto Festival, and was known in the first year as Spoleto Melbourne Festival of Three Worlds. It was held at the Athenaeum Theatre. The Victorian Premier's Literary Awards were presented as part of the festival for the first time. In 1990, the Festival was no longer known under the Spoleto name, and became a part of the Melbourne International Arts Festival. It also moved venues from the Athenaeum and Kino Cinemas to the Malthouse Theatre. By 1992 the festival had over 10,000 attendees, and expanded its program to include events in Ballarat. Simon Clews was appointed the new Festival Director, a post he held until 2005. The inaugural Keynote Address was given by Clive James in 1996 to coincide with the festival's 10th anniversary celebrations. In 1998 the Festival was held autonomously from the Melbourne International Arts Festival, taking place in August rather than October. The Age newspaper became the Festival's principal sponsor, taking the name The Age Melbourne Writers Festival'. The Age Book of the Year Awards replaced the Premier's Literary Awards which stayed with the International Arts festival. By 2001 the Festival had instituted Internet broadcasts and transcripts of some sessions, Auslan at others, and was attracting an estimated 25,000 in attendances. over the 10 days of the festival. In 2002, 'The Last Word' was introduced as a counterpoint to the Keynote address that opens the Festival. That year, a parody of the Festival program appeared that mocked the festival's programming as being elitist, conservative, and closely aligned with the sales-driven imperatives of publishers. In 2004 the Festival venues expanded to include the Heide Museum of Modern Art and the State Library of Victoria. 2005 saw the 20th anniversary celebrations of the Festival, and a collaboration with the Australian Centre for the Moving Image that continues today. Rosemary Cameron replaced Simon Clews as Festival Director in late 2005. There was a 60% growth in the number of events held, which expanded to include workshops and master classes. Events were held at Federation Square for the first time, and the Festival commissioned the Playworks Theatre Company to produce four one-act plays to be performed during the Festival. An 'Empty Chair' was instituted to represent those writers