Who we are

As Australia’s favourite regional meeting place of storytelling and ideas, Byron Writers Festival attracts thousands of audiences annually to experience shared moments of human connection.

Byron Writers Festival is central to the literary, cultural and intellectual life of the Northern Rivers region and contributes to a vibrant arts sectors nationally. We strive for: a pioneering attitude to creativity; being a leader in the Australian arts community; accessible and inclusive programs; meaningful and enduring partnerships; and a responsible approach to the environment.

Our artistic vision is informed by a belief in the power of literature in shaping lives. It highlights the importance of stories, ideas and debate in influencing our culture and affecting change.

What we do

Through our vibrant year-round program, we celebrate diverse Australian writers and stories, engage audiences with new ideas, and enhance access to literature and literacy for people regionally and nationally. We have four flagship programs: the annual Byron Writers Festival, our free creative writing program for children StoryBoard, professional development services for our members, and our annual residential mentorship opportunity.

Our Vision

To create gatherings with powerful outcomes.

Our Mission

Byron Writers Festival is Australia’s regional meeting place of storytelling and ideas. We provide shared moments of human connection.

Our Values

Integrity – Choosing what is right over what is fun, fast or easy; choosing to practice our values rather than simply professing them.

Respect – Respecting writers and their contribution to our world; respecting each other and differing opinions; respecting our partners, the environment; the Arakwal people of the Bundjalung nation and all Australian First Nations people.

Connection – Connecting across difference; bringing together diverse people, communities, voices, perspectives,  stories, ideas; connecting writers, readers, publishers, members, mentors, creative organisations, storytellers; engaging meaningfully through words, conversations and storytelling.

Creativity – Celebrating creativity, art and artists are intrinsic to what we do; we believe creativity is at the core of being human and thus is the heart-beat of the organisation; we are creative in the way we curate, program and present artists to audiences; we are creative in our organisation and working culture.

Adventure – A quest for intellectual, emotional, artistic, personal and collective adventure through storytelling; sparking curiosity, ideas, passion; opening our hearts and minds, daring greatly; what would the world look like if . . .

Our history

The Northern Rivers Writers’ Centre was incorporated in 1995, the home of the much-loved Byron Bay Writers Festival, first held in 1997. In 2016, the Centre and the Festival were amalgamated under one banner and renamed Byron Writers Festival. The Byron Writers Festival is staffed by a small dedicated team led by a volunteer Committee. The organisation is not-for-profit and receives its core funding from Create NSW.

In 2020, the annual Byron Writers Festival was elevated to Key Festival status by the NSW Government.

The Byron Writers Festival is held on the lands of the Arakwal Bumberbin peoples of the Bundjalung Nation, we pay respect to the traditional owners of these lands and acknowledge them as the original storytellers of this region.