On the heels of the launch of Melbourne Writers Festival’s 2026 program, Dylan Bird sits down with Festival Director Veronica Sullivan to chat about MWF’s 40th anniversary, what goes into curating the program, the backdrop of the Adelaide Writers Festival controversies, and program highlights including talks by Jacinda Ardern and Yann Martel.

Melbourne Writers Festival runs from May 7-10. Tickets are available now.

“[The 40th anniversary] is an opportunity to take stock … the festival has been running for four decades, it has had many iterations over that period, but it has really cemented itself as this hugely important feature in Melbourne’s cultural life, and it’s an opportunity to really honour that legacy … while also saying ‘what do we want the next 40 years to be for the festival but also the culture of books and writing in the city of Melbourne?’"

Photo credit: supplied.