Newcastle Writers Festival Director Defends Artistic Freedom Amid Adelaide Fallout
In a bold stance for artistic expression, Newcastle Writers Festival director Rosemarie Milsom has firmly rejected calls to cancel Palestinian-Australian author Randa Abdel-Fattah's scheduled appearance, following the dramatic collapse of Adelaide Writers' Week. The festival's program, released on February 6, 2026, was curated months before the controversy erupted, with Ms Milsom emphasising values of tolerance, inclusion, and freedom of speech.
Adelaide Festival's Cancellation Sparks National Debate
The South Australian festival's board rescinded its invitation to Dr Abdel-Fattah in January, initially citing unspecified statements she made regarding the Israel-Palestine conflict. This decision triggered a mass boycott from fellow writers, the resignation of the festival director in protest, and a subsequent apology from the board. The incident has ignited a national reckoning within Australia's publishing and intellectual communities, questioning the boundaries of artistic censorship.
"I'm Not Running a Debating Society": Milsom's Unwavering Position
Ms Milsom articulated her commitment to inviting writers based on their creative works rather than their political views. "We believe artists should be able to speak about their work," she stated. "To start responding to external pressure is a slippery slope, because who are you going to respond to when you have multiple people or groups coming at you?" She clarified that the festival would only rescind an invitation if there were clear legal imperatives, such as hate speech violations.
Dr Abdel-Fattah was invited in August last year to discuss her new book, Discipline, at the Hunter event next month. Ms Milsom reflected on the broader implications of the Adelaide situation, noting, "What happened in Adelaide is unfortunate for so many reasons. But I think that the coverage has given people a sense that there is something negative or something wrong with writers festivals, and that is not the case." Adelaide has since reinstated Dr Abdel-Fattah's invitation for next year, and she will appear at a one-off literary event in South Australia next month.
Political Scrutiny Over Arts Funding
The issue escalated to state parliament, where Liberal MLC Aileen MacDonald questioned Arts Minister John Graham about a $250,000 government grant for the Newcastle festival. She asked whether it was appropriate to fund a platform for someone she described as an "anti-Semitic propagandist" in the aftermath of the Bondi massacre. Dr Abdel-Fattah has previously denied accusations that her criticism of Israel constitutes anti-Semitism.
Mr Graham responded that while the government expects arts events to foster respectful exchange and social cohesion, he does not support cancelling artists. "In my time as Arts Minister, I have faced a range of those calls from all quarters," he said. "I do not support cancelling Thomas Friedman or Deborah Conway or a range of Palestinian artists. That backfires pretty rapidly." He emphasised that hate speech laws are clear and must be upheld.
Arts as a Channel for Community Healing
Ms Milsom highlighted the role of arts organisations in navigating complex global issues, particularly in times of violence and grief. "The violence and grief of the time had left the world torn and suffering untold pain," she observed. "That suffering has to be channelled somewhere. You see it being expelled on social media. You can see it in the comments, in the letters to the editor. I feel like that pain, anger and helplessness is directed at us; at arts organisations."
She argued that festivals like Newcastle's provide a diminishing space for good-faith engagement on contemporary issues, prioritising respectful tolerance of complexity and difference. "Regional audiences engage in what is happening globally," she noted. "And, of course, we respond, but it is not troublemaking, or a desire to create tension, or give oxygen to conflict."
Historical Precedent: Weathering Previous Controversies
This is not the first time the Newcastle Writers Festival has faced pressure to cancel speakers. In 2024, Ms Milsom refused to remove writers Deborah Conway and Clementine Ford from the line-up amid controversy over their views on the Gaza conflict. The event required plain-clothed police for the first time in its history but proceeded without incident.
Reflecting on that experience, Ms Milsom said, "We copped it in 2024, and I know we will likely do so again now. It's difficult and challenging, and it can be distressing. But I try not to get lost by coming back to why we do what we do." She emphasised that inviting diverse views does not equate to endorsement, with careful moderation ensuring balanced discussions.
Core Values and Artistic Vision
Ms Milsom underscored the festival's ethical framework, rooted in supporting a culture of reading and writing in a regional area. "Literature is at the core of what we do," she asserted. "We are not the 'Newcastle Festival of Dangerous Ideas'. I'm not running a debating society. You want balance, but I am not a journalist, and I'm not a court of law where you hear evidence from the prosecution and then the defence. It's not that kind of forum. It's about literature."
She acknowledged that arts organisations are not perfect and can sometimes be messy, as seen in Adelaide, but stressed the importance of defending an artistic vision. "I feel like over time I've developed a connection and a strong sense of what our audience likes to engage with. I don't always get it right. Sometimes, I make a mistake. But you have to have an artistic vision. And, you know what, you have to be prepared to defend it."
