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Melbourne Writers Festival has unveiled its full 2026 lineup, bringing some of the most exciting voices in literature from Australia and the world to Melbourne from 7–10 May. Explore the Festival’s special 40th anniversary program and discover bestsellers, prize winners, performance artists and electric new voices in fiction, poetry and memoir. Don’t miss this 4-day celebration of more than 150 visionary writers and storytellers that shape our world.
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Jacinda Ardern: A Different Kind of Power Friday 8 May, 8.30pm | Melbourne Town Hall Hear the trailblazing leader and former Prime Minister of Aotearoa New Zealand reflect on her political career, navigating motherhood in the public eye, and her advice for the next generation of leaders. Join this candid discussion on women, politics and power. With Virginia Trioli.
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Yann Martel: Son of Nobody Saturday 9 May, 12.30pm | Athenaeum Theatre Join Yann Martel, the Booker Prize-winning author of Life of Pi, as he shares his new novel of love, grief and classical mythology. Appearing in Australia for the first time in a decade, Martel sits down with ABC Radio National’s Sarah L’Estrange.
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Mieko Kawakami: Sisters in Yellow Sunday 10 May, 12.30pm | Athenaeum Theatre International Booker Prize-shortlisted author Mieko Kawakami (Breasts and Eggs, Heaven) presents her latest novel, Sisters in Yellow. Join Kawakami for this lively conversation exploring sexuality, feminism and the complexity of humanity. With Jessie Kindig.
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David Szalay: Flesh Sunday 10 May, 4.30pm | Athenaeum Theatre 2025 Booker Prize winner David Szalay discusses Flesh: his propulsive and hypnotic novel about a man unravelled by a series of events beyond his grasp. Szalay sits down to explore the book that everyone’s talking about with host Michael Williams.
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