FAQs

The next Sydney Writers' Festival will run from 19–27 May 2025. Some events may fall outside these dates and are advertised on individual event listings. 

For any general inquiries, please contact the Sydney Writers’ Festival by emailing info@swf.org.au.

The Festival is made up of free and ticketed events. Please refer to event pages for booking instructions. 

Our printed program is available to pick up at libraries and bookstores across Sydney. You can see your closest location here. Please consult our website for the most up-to-date information on sessions.  

Please find the ticketing terms and conditions here.

A booking fee will apply to your ticket purchase. You will be notified of all applicable fees prior to purchase. Most orders incur a booking fee of $7.50 per order. This fee is applied whether the order is via our website, or over the phone. Exceptions to this are:  

• This fee is not applied if you purchase a ticket in person at the Box Office at the Venue.   

• Family and YA events do not incur a booking fee if booked in an order only containing Family or YA events.   

•  If your transaction only includes tickets to Not Stupid LIVE with Julia Baird and Jeremy Fernandez at Riverside Theatre, Parramatta, a booking fee of $3 will be applied. If you purchase tickets to this event and tickets to another performance, the $7.50 booking fee will be applied to your order.  

Concession tickets are available to all children aged 16 and under and valid concession card holders including full-time students, Health Care Card holders and Pensioners Concession Card Holders. You may be required to show proof of eligibility when entering the venue. Please make sure you have your concession card with you when you arrive, whether it is a government/Centrelink pension or health care card, or a student card.  

Children aged two and under are eligible for free entry if they do not require a seat and can sit on a parent or guardian's lap. They do not receive a physical ticket. Those aged over two will need to book a ticket at Concession price.

GA/General Admission means that there is no allocated seating into the event. You can go in and sit where you please to get the view of the event that you desire, if that seat has not already been taken.

If you believe you are entitled to a refund, please email ticketing@swf.org.au or phone the box office on (02) 9256 4200 and we will discuss your request with you. Please refer to our full refund policy in our Terms and Conditions for more information on what can and cannot be refunded. 

If you are looking to purchase additional tickets next to your current tickets, please call the box office on (02) 9256 4200 and we will discuss with you what is possible to get the best outcome for you and your friends.  

All Print at Home (PAH) and Mobile Tickets purchased prior to 12 May 2025 will be sent out in the week leading up to the Festival. If you do not receive your Ticket 48 hours before your first event, please email ticketing@swf.org.au or call the box office on 02 9256 4200 to get your ticket(s) arranged immediately. Tickets purchased from 12 May 2025 onwards will be sent immediately.    

Access information including details on Auslan-interpreted and closed-captioned events, and venues fitted with a hearing loop system is available on event pages. Find out more about access information at the Festival here. 

Accessibility seats are charged at a concession rate in all events at Carriageworks. At other venues they are charged at the cost of the lowest non-restricted view concession seat.  

If you are unable to attend the Festival and want to cancel your tickets, please contact us on ticketing@swf.org.au or 02 9256 4200 and we will discuss your options with you.

Companion Card holders qualify for a complimentary ticket for their companion. Please call our box office on (02) 9256 4200 to arrange a Companion ticket.

Please refer to our Festival Precinct info page for the best information on arriving at Carriageworks and where to park. 

Yes! Discover all the food offerings at the Festival Precinct here.  

Sydney Writers’ Festival will be livestreaming some events in our 2025 Program. You can a list of livestreamed events here. These events will be streamed live and will not be available for access after the event has finished. The livestream is accessible via a $35 day pass and is available for Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.    

Many events are recorded each year for podcasts, but at this time there has been no decision made on which events will be published on the website. The best this to do is to keep an eye on our e-newsletter and follow Sydney Writers' Festival on your podcast app. Podcasts will be released throughout the year and there is a large library of past podcasts available at online or through various podcasts apps.

Thanks for your interest! Visit our Volunteer page for the latest information. Feel free to contact us and we will send you a reminder when applications open. 

Yes, you can get your book signed after most Festival events. Book signings take place in Bay 21 at Carriageworks, or in the foyer of Sydney Town Hall and the State Library of NSW. 

Invitations are issued at the discretion of the Artistic Director.

Each year, Sydney Writers' Festival receives hundreds of unsolicited submissions from authors wishing to speak at the Festival or putting forward ideas for the program. We are not able to respond to the submissions or return materials sent for consideration.

While publishers attend the Sydney Writers' Festival, the Festival is not the appropriate avenue to present your book to publishers. We recommend you approach publishers through the usual channels, either by submitting your manuscript directly or by engaging a literary agent.

If you need advice on getting your book published, please visit the websites of the Australian Society of Authors or Australian Publishers Association.

No. For privacy reasons, we are unable to pass on contact details for authors, and we cannot pass on messages. The best way to contact authors is through their publisher or agents.

You are welcome to recommend an author for consideration. Please email your suggestions to info@swf.org.au. Due to the volume of suggestions, we are unable to respond to each one.

You can find the Privacy Policy here. 

Please email info@swf.org.au with any feedback or suggestions you have regarding the Festival.