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FESTIVAL 2026
Our festival focuses on prioritising and celebrating western Sydney writers and the organisations and groups that support them.
Built through collaboration and partnership with Dharug leaders, venues, cultural producers, writers and the western Sydney literary sector, our festival seeks to amplify existing activity and provide pathways for connection.
This year we are dedicated to amplifying the local through advocacy, increasing visibility and awareness of writing in Parramatta.
Workshops and Residencies
In September, 14 Western Sydney writers will be supported through a range of residencies to develop their work in Parramatta.
Book Launches, Events & Readings
Delivered in partnership with local organisations, writer and collectives, the events program is open to public (unless sold out).
Industry Roundtables and Panels
Writers, publishers, tertiary institutions, cultural organisations, policy makers and funders share opportunities and ideas,
OPENING WEEK | 7th - 13th SEPTEMBER 2026
BOOK LAUNCH - The Future of Leadership
Get ready for an evening celebrating the official launch of three groundbreaking new books: SHiFT! The CQ Advantage, Beyond Monoculture, and Marketing Executive's AI Authority.
Hosted at Western Sydney University, the launch will open with a panel discussion featuring authors Anu Bedi and Paul Tredinnick, moderated by James from The Two Fires Podcast, exploring leadership in an era of Artificial Intelligence, Cultural Intelligence and rapid global change.
Held as part of The Future of Leadership Forum, the evening brings together business, government, academia and community leaders to engage with these three timely new works. The night will also include audience Q&A, networking and book signings with the authors.
Tuesday 8 September 2026
5:30pm
Western Sydney University- Parramatta South Campus Building EA, Ground Floor, Room 18
Corner Victoria Road and James Ruse Drive, Rydalmere (entrance off Victoria Road)
FREE
This event is presented in partnership with Western Sydney University, Friends of Western Sydney and Impowerfull Inc.
WEST SIDE POETRY SLAM - Parramatta APS Heat ft. BEA
West Side Poetry Slam is your local monthly open mic. This month we are the Australian Poetry Slam Parramatta Heat! Are you the next National Slam-bassador to tour internationally?
Perform an original 2-minute poem and the audience will choose 2 winners to the Sydney Final. Featuring Western Sydney poet BEA.
Wednesday 9 September 2026
6:40pm - Doors Open & Poet Sign-Up
7:00pm - 9.15pm
Parramatta Leagues Club,
Level 3 – 1 Eels Pl, Parramatta NSW 2150
Concession $10 | Standard $12
(We will not turn anyone away for lack of funds.)
Content Warnings: Most Poetry Slams are all ages and some content may not be suitable for children. Performances may include strong language and / or adult themes. Each poet to deliver individual content warnings before their poem.
This event is presented in partnership between West Side Poetry, WestWords Western Sydney Centre for Writing and Word Travels, presented as part of Parramatta's Lit! Festival.
PANEL DISCUSSION: In Translation Arabic Session
PANEL DISCUSSION: In Translation Arabic Session
Join us for In Translation: A Book Club, where we explore The Book of Disappearance / سفر الإختفاء, an evocative and profoundly moving novel by Palestinian author Ibtisam Azem. Read the book in either the Arabic original or in the English translation by Sinan Antoon, and join the discussion facilitated by Oula Ghannoum.
The session will feature readings in both Arabic and English, creating a rich cross-cultural experience that celebrates literature beyond linguistic boundaries. Interpretation will be available to ensure accessibility and participation for all attendees.
10 September 2026
5:30pm - 7:30pm
Library
FREE
Registration essential.
This event is presented by Lost In Books/Think+DO Tank Foundation as a part of Parramatta's Lit! In Translation: A Book Club is a program funded by the Copyright Agency’s Cultural Fund. This session is also supported by the Parramatta Library.
WORKSHOP: SHORT STORY SHORT
PANEL DISCUSSION: In Translation Arabic Session
Join writer, director and creative producer Sunny Grace for an engaging two-hour creative writing workshop designed to spark new ideas and strengthen your writing practice.
From Idea to Draft A two-hour workshop for writers to spark ideas, write and hone a short piece. With guided prompts and creative exercises, you’ll generate material, shape your writing, and leave with the beginnings of something real.
Sunny Grace is a writer/director/creative producer who made her first short film at fifteen. After graduating with a BA from Swinburne University in 1991 she worked in various roles in media and film, from journalist to actors agent. She has 20 years experience producing online content, music videos and short films including the multi-awarding winning dik.
Thursday 10 September 2026
10am - 12pm
IDEAS LAB @ LIBRARY
FREE
Registration required
Suitable for writers aged 18+
This workshop is presented in partnership with Sunny Stories and the Parramatta Library
OFFICIAL OPENING NIGHT: WARAMI AND WORDS
Join us for the official opening of Parramatta's Lit! 2026, beginning with a Welcome to Country and cultural storytelling led by Baramadagal knowledge holders, celebrating the enduring storytelling traditions of Dharug Country.
Together we will launch a month-long festival that brings writers, readers and communities together through conversation, performance and readings.
Thursday 10 September 2026
6:00pm -8:00pm
Darug Circle, Parramatta Square & PHIVE
FREE
Registration recommended
Content Warnings: This event includes a smoking ceremony in the Darug Circle as a part of the welcome.
This event is led by Baramadagal Darug Tribal Governing Council and Barabirang Projects
PLAYREADING: THUS SPOKE SOPHOCLES BY RAJDEEP ROY
As part of Parramatta's Lit! 2026, Nautanki Theatre will present a public reading of Rajdeep Roy's new work-Thus Spoke Sophocles. Conceived as a gripping political tragedy, Rajdeep Roy's play brings Sophocles to the modern stage, weaving three stories of resistance. Beginning with the classic Antigone, the play mirrors Sophocles' masterpiece against modern-day women rebels standing up to oppressive regimes. To ground this powerful narrative, Raj teams up with Neel Banerjee to resurrect forgotten South Asian protest ballads and historic IPTA (Indian People's Theatre Association) people's songs. The presentation reflects Nautanki's commitment to championing new Australian writing, intercultural storytelling and the extraordinary creative voices emerging from Western Sydney.
Friday 11 September 2026
7:00pm-8:00pm
Arts and Culture Exchange
8 Victoria Rd, Parramatta
$15 (General Admission)
Suitable for writers aged 12+ years
Content Warning: violence against women.
This event is presented by Nautanki Theatre
SPOKEN WORDS FOR SHAPING THE WORLD WE WANT
Join with us for this Spoken Word event from 6:30pm - 8:30pm where we will share light refreshments and connect.
We will hear from speakers; Baramadagal Darug woman Jayne Christian, Sara Haddad who is a Lebanese Australian woman, editor and writer and author of The Sunbird, and Assala A Sayara who is a Palestinian woman, PhD candidate, social worker and founder of Haweyate before inviting those in attendance to share a spoken word contribution as well, you are welcome to bring a short piece of your own writing, or a piece of writing meaningful to you while properly attributing the author, to share as we focus our thoughts on shaping the world we want for humanity.
The mass lack of humanity in the world continues to be devastating to experience and witness, we believe in the power of our thoughts and words, and in communities coming together to practise what it means to be together in our shared humanity, not as a feel-good exercise disconnected from local and world events, but to be in the practise of creating the world we want: one with restored civility, connection and respect for our shared humanity in the communities we belong to and co-exist with. If more people practice what they can from where they are at, we can create the momentum for bigger change to come.
Limited number of spaces available. Pay if you can - with proceeds to be split between the First Nations Writers Fund and Palestinian initiatives announced on the night.
Venue is the Uniting Church Westmead, with light rail and train transport located close by, parking also available onsite via Queens Road entry.
Friday 11 September 2026
6:30pm - 8:30pm
Uniting Church Westmead
Corner Queens Road and Hawkesbury Road
175 Hawkesbury Road, Westmead, 2145
PAY WHAT YOU CAN
Registration Suggested
Presented in partnership between the Baramadagal Darug Community, Parramatta for Palestine and the Coalition of Women for Justice and Peace with the support of Creative Australia.
NEW WRITERS GROUP INC: ZINEWEST 2026 LAUNCH
ZineWest is a print zine and competition for aspiring Western Sydney writers produced by NEW Writers Group Incorporated. This year we will celebrate our 20th Edition. ZineWest also includes images by local visual artists.
Presenters:
Carol Amos - NWG Inc President
Sue Crawford - Editor ZineWest
Dr Luke Carman - Writing Judge
Maria Constantinescu - Art Judge
Readings from writers
This year, in addition to the publishing list for the print ZineWest edition we will publish in digital form a collection of additional poems, stories and images by ZineWest entrants.
Saturday 12 September 2026
11:30am - 2:00pm
University of New England (UNE) Parramatta Campus
28 George Street, Parramatta
$10 (Tickets on the door)
NB FREE entry for special guests and children under 16.
This event is presented by NEW Writers Group Incorporated with thank to support from University New England and through the Australian Cultural Fund
BARAMADA BINGE
As part of the Parramatta’s Lit! 2026 Writer & Editor in Residence Program, residents are invited to a special private event at the Dharug Keeping Place.
Come binge on everything you didn't know!
This space is designed to have a cuppa with Traditional Custodians doing frontline work to ensure community protocols are practised, people are connected, histories are remembered with care, and the next pages are written with respect for Country and those who will walk these sacred lands after us.
From the first sunrise, our peoples have been here.
Come and learn what that means for this specific place, Baramadagal Country, and what it means to listen, learn and walk respectfully on Country today.
This is a private event
for Writers and Editor in Residence of Parramatta's Lit! 2026
(Not available to the public)
Led by Baramadagal Darug Tribal Governing Council and Barabirang Projects, assisted by the Australian Government through Creative Australia and City of Parramatta.
BARAMADA BLAKOUT DAY
Join Baramadagal, Cabrogal and Booroobeongal peoples of the Darug Nation for a day of sharing culture, stories and a yarn on community, caring for Country, and the living connections to Ngurra (Country)
We invite you to come along to Baramada Blakout Day and spend time with us in culture, community and conversation.
Enjoy a program that includes a cultural ceremony, a special children's book reading (a story appropriate for the child in all of us) and an in-conversation with special guest Daniel Browning, followed by a facilitated yarn with Daniel and Darug mob.
Together, we'll yarn about community life, cultural initiatives, storytelling, and caring for Country, sharing some of the knowledge, experiences and connections that continue to shape Darug community today.
Come along, listen, learn and share in a community offering from Darug people on Baramadagal Country.
You may often hear this land and its Traditional Custodians acknowledged, this is an opportunity to go a little further: to learn about the land, hear from its people, and connect with the stories, knowledge and living culture that continue here.
Sunday 13 September 2026
11:00am - 4:00pm
Elizabeth Farm,
70 Alice Street, Rosehill
FREE
Registration suggested
This event is led and presented by Baramadagal Darug Tribal Governing Council and Barabirang Projects
STORY TIME WITH AMANDA GOODE BARAMADA BLAKOUT DAY
Barabirang projects presents Story Time with Amanda Goode, Burramattagal Darug woman, delivering a reading of her inaugural children's book My Best Friend, as part of the Baramada Blakout event.
Join Baramadagal, Cabrogal and Booroobeongal peoples of the Darug Nation for a day of sharing culture, stories and a yarn on community, caring for Country, and the living connections to Ngurra (Country)
We invite you to come along to Baramada Blakout Day and spend time with us in culture, community and conversation.
Sunday 13 September 2026
11:30am - 12:00pm
Elizabeth Farm,
70 Alice Street, Rosehill
FREE
Registration suggested
This event is led and presented by Baramadagal Darug Tribal Governing Council and Barabirang Projects
BARAMADA BLAKOUT DAY
Barabirang Projects brings together Baramadagal Darug man Willem Brussen and Bundjalung and Kullilli man Daniel Browning to learn more about the world and work of journalist, broadcaster and Professor Daniel Browning, since the release of his award winning book Close to the Subject, which presents a selection of pieces from Daniel Browning's stellar career as a journalist, radio broadcaster, critic and interviewer.
Join Baramadagal, Cabrogal and Booroobeongal peoples of the Darug Nation for a day of sharing culture, stories and a yarn on community, caring for Country, and the living connections to Ngurra (Country)
We invite you to come along to Baramada Blakout Day and spend time with us in culture, community and conversation.
Sunday 13 September 2026
12:15pm - 1:00pm
Elizabeth Farm,
70 Alice Street, Rosehill
FREE
Registration suggested
This event is led and presented by Baramadagal Darug Tribal Governing Council and Barabirang Projects
WEEK 2 | 14TH - 20TH SEPTEMBER 2026
AUBURN POETS AND WRITERS: MASKS
Who wears masks and for what purposes? There are many types of masks - visible and invisible. Is it primarily to influence and entertain?
Or obfuscate and control? Auburn Poets & Writers goes behind the mask in poetry, music, song and sketch.
Monday 14 September 2026
6.30pm - 8.30pm
WestWords,
Western Sydney Centre for Writing,
Old Governme
Who wears masks and for what purposes? There are many types of masks - visible and invisible. Is it primarily to influence and entertain?
Or obfuscate and control? Auburn Poets & Writers goes behind the mask in poetry, music, song and sketch.
Monday 14 September 2026
6.30pm - 8.30pm
WestWords,
Western Sydney Centre for Writing,
Old Government House, Parramatta.
$10 at the door
Recommended Age 18+
Contact number for tickets/info: Danny Gardner 0422 263 373.
This event is a partnership between Auburn Poets & Writers and WestWords as part of the Parramatta's Lit!
WORKSHOP: FROM PAGE TO STAGE
From Page to Stage is a free 90 minute masterclass and workshop for emerging playwrights and theatre-makers developing new work.
Using TWO selected unpublished or unmounted scripts as live case studies, the session explores practical approaches to creative development: identifying what is already working, asking productive questions of a t
From Page to Stage is a free 90 minute masterclass and workshop for emerging playwrights and theatre-makers developing new work.
Using TWO selected unpublished or unmounted scripts as live case studies, the session explores practical approaches to creative development: identifying what is already working, asking productive questions of a text, and determining what a work might need in order to move into its next phase of development.
Join Julian, theatre-maker, playwright, director and teaching artist with a Master of Theatre in Directing from the University of Melbourne (VCA) and a plethora of experience staging and developing new work by emerging artists. Julian will lead the workshop in a classroom-style environment, guide discussion toward productive developmental questions, and introduce practical frameworks for examining new theatrical writing. If you've ever searched for a wholistic understanding of how scripts become plays - then this is the workshop for you!
Monday 14 September
6:00pm - 7:30pm
PHIVE, Parramatta
Free (registration essential)
Want to submit a script?
If you’d like your work to be considered for development during Page to Stage, please indicate this when registering and select the relevant ticket option.
You’ll then be invited to provide a short excerpt from your script, along with a brief note outlining what you’d most like to explore or develop through the workshop.
STORYTELLING NIGHT: SAFETYPIN 25 - INK & IDENTITY
SafetyPin 25: Ink & Identity invites diverse voices to explore who gets to write our stories. Through spoken word, poetry, storytelling and music, share a memory, challenge a label, reclaim your narrative or simply listen. A welcoming, freestyle open mic celebrating identity, culture, truth-telling, creativity and connection.
Tuesday, 15 S
SafetyPin 25: Ink & Identity invites diverse voices to explore who gets to write our stories. Through spoken word, poetry, storytelling and music, share a memory, challenge a label, reclaim your narrative or simply listen. A welcoming, freestyle open mic celebrating identity, culture, truth-telling, creativity and connection.
Tuesday, 15 September 2026
6:45 PM – 9:30 PM
Icy Spicy
146 James Ruse Drive, Parramatta
“Pay As & If You Like”*
(registration essential)
Recommended Age
Suitable for all ages. Young attendees are advised to attend with adult supervision.
*Free to attend and participate, with a voluntary “Pay As & If You Like” donation option for those who wish to support SafetyPin and the work we do.
Playreading: I Can't Believe It's Not Parramatta!?
I Can’t Believe It’s Not Parramatta!? is a bold, ensemble-driven theatrical mosaic about one of Australia’s most significant and rapidly changing cities.
As cranes rise, buildings disappear, memories are unearthed and new communities reshape Parramatta, a chorus of voices competes to define what the city has been, what it is and what it m
I Can’t Believe It’s Not Parramatta!? is a bold, ensemble-driven theatrical mosaic about one of Australia’s most significant and rapidly changing cities.
As cranes rise, buildings disappear, memories are unearthed and new communities reshape Parramatta, a chorus of voices competes to define what the city has been, what it is and what it might become.
Drafted in situ across Parramatta over 20 days in February and March 2026, the play brings together history, myth, memory, imagination and absurdity. Twenty-seven characters spanning more than two centuries collide in a fast-moving work that shifts between realism, satire, documentary and portraiture.
Written by Linda Atkins, Saurabh Bhattacharya, Micharne Cloughley, Laneikka Denne, Chris Fleming and Marcus Khoudair, the work asks us to look at Parramatta — in all its brutality, beauty and absurdity — to better understand who we are and where we are going.
Wednesday 16 September
6:30pm - 8:00pm
The Whitlam Institute
FREE
(registration essential)
Presented as a free play reading as part of Parramatta’s Lit! 2026 supported by City of Parramatta, Create NSW and Creative Australia.
WORKSHOP: WRITE TOGETHER, RISE TOGETHER
WORKSHOP: WRITE TOGETHER, RISE TOGETHER
Facilitated by Australian Plays Transform, this session provides a quiet, focused space for playwrights of all experience levels to write alongside one another and connect with fellow writers. No pitches, no pressure. Just you, your words, and a little accountability.
APT CEO Erin Taylor will open the session and be available throughout f
Facilitated by Australian Plays Transform, this session provides a quiet, focused space for playwrights of all experience levels to write alongside one another and connect with fellow writers. No pitches, no pressure. Just you, your words, and a little accountability.
APT CEO Erin Taylor will open the session and be available throughout for playwrights to drop by for a cup of tea and a chat about industry pathways, career development, and opportunities for Australian playwrights. Most importantly, it offers dedicated time and space to write in the company of other playwrights.
Come for the accountability, stay for the community.
Thursday 17 September 2026
10am–1pm
IDEAS Lab, Library at PHIVE
FREE
Registration recommended
This workshop is presented by Australian Plays Transform
BOOK LAUNCH: CRIP STORIES ANTHOLOGY
WORKSHOP: WRITE TOGETHER, RISE TOGETHER
The word crip was once used to discriminate. Today, it is reclaimed and celebrated.
A reading from the Sydney contributors of Crip Stories. A collaboration with NewSouth Publishing and Mascara Literary Review, the book prioritises BIPOC writers and those who are multiply marginalized.
Featuring MC: Michelle Cahill, and with contributors
The word crip was once used to discriminate. Today, it is reclaimed and celebrated.
A reading from the Sydney contributors of Crip Stories. A collaboration with NewSouth Publishing and Mascara Literary Review, the book prioritises BIPOC writers and those who are multiply marginalized.
Featuring MC: Michelle Cahill, and with contributors Sharleigh Crittenden, Peter Boyle for Mario Licón Cabrera, J Marahuyo, Hem Sid Chandran, Irina Frolova Mona Attamimi, Paris Rosemont and Ariel Riveros.
This event will also honour the disabled Mexican Australian poet and translator, Mario Licón Cabrera who passed away during the book's production.
Thursday 17 September 2026
5.30pm for 6pm - 7:30pm
Library
FREE
This event is presented by Mascara Literary Review
PLAYREADING: I Can't Believe It's Not Parramatta!?
I Can’t Believe It’s Not Parramatta!? is a bold, ensemble-driven theatrical mosaic about one of Australia’s most significant and rapidly changing cities.
As cranes rise, buildings disappear, memories are unearthed and new communities reshape Parramatta, a chorus of voices competes to define what the city has been, what it is and what it mi
I Can’t Believe It’s Not Parramatta!? is a bold, ensemble-driven theatrical mosaic about one of Australia’s most significant and rapidly changing cities.
As cranes rise, buildings disappear, memories are unearthed and new communities reshape Parramatta, a chorus of voices competes to define what the city has been, what it is and what it might become.
Drafted in situ across Parramatta over 20 days in February and March 2026, the play brings together history, myth, memory, imagination and absurdity. Twenty-seven characters spanning more than two centuries collide in a fast-moving work that shifts between realism, satire, documentary and portraiture.
Written by Linda Atkins, Saurabh Bhattacharya, Micharne Cloughley, Laneikka Denne, Chris Fleming and Marcus Khoudair, the work asks us to look at Parramatta — in all its brutality, beauty and absurdity — to better understand who we are and where we are going.
Thursday 17 September
6:00pm - 7:30pm
PHIVE, Parramatta
Free (registration essential)
Presented as a free play reading as part of Parramatta’s Lit! 2026 supported by City of Parramatta, Create NSW and Creative Australia.
FILM SCREENING & RIVER WALK | PARRAMATTA REDUX
Join the School of Social Sciences at Western Sydney University for an exciting Social Sciences Week film screening and river walk.
To celebrate Social Sciences Week 2026, the School of Social Sciences will be screening Parramatta Redux (38 minutes), a documentary film directed and produced by Associate Professor Malini Sur. The screening
Join the School of Social Sciences at Western Sydney University for an exciting Social Sciences Week film screening and river walk.
To celebrate Social Sciences Week 2026, the School of Social Sciences will be screening Parramatta Redux (38 minutes), a documentary film directed and produced by Associate Professor Malini Sur. The screening will be followed by Q&A.
Parramatta Redux explores the enduring connections between Parramatta River and the diverse communities, past and present, that have shaped its identity. From Indigenous custodianship to contemporary multicultural life, it reflects on themes of resilience, colonisation, migration and environmental change, offering a layered understanding of the river as both a living landscape and a witness to ongoing social and cultural transformation.
Following the screening, Darug Elder, Uncle Chris Tobin, will lead a River Walk for attendees along the river adjacent to the Parramatta South campus. The walk with Uncle Chris is an opportunity for discussion and discovery of Indigenous concerns and reflections. This is a wonderful opportunity for attendees to deepen their understanding of and connection to Country (numbers for the River Walk are limited).
This documentary film is an outcome of The Collaborative Museum: Embedding Cultural Infrastructure in the City Australian Research Council Linkage Project LP200301481 and generous support from the Institute for Culture and Society, Western Sydney University.
Friday 18 September 2026
1:30pm-4:30pm
FREE
This event is proudly brought to you by the School of Social Sciences at Western Sydney University
PARRAMATTA'S LIT INDUSTRY ROUNDTABLE
This Industry Roundtable brings together leaders from across Parramatta's cultural, education, government, business and literary sector.
This Roundtable has been convened in response to the City of Parramatta's Creative Parramatta 2025–2034 strategy Creative Parramatta | City of Parramatta, which identifies literature as one of Parramatt
This Industry Roundtable brings together leaders from across Parramatta's cultural, education, government, business and literary sector.
This Roundtable has been convened in response to the City of Parramatta's Creative Parramatta 2025–2034 strategy Creative Parramatta | City of Parramatta, which identifies literature as one of Parramatta's defining cultural strengths
The discussion will include:
- Parramatta's literary strengths,
- Gaps and opportunities.
- Opportunities for collaboration.
This is a facilitated conversation designed to encourage open dialogue, knowledge sharing and cross-sector collaboration as we build a shared vision for the city's literary future.
Friday 18 September 2026
2:00pm-4:30pm
FREE
To express your interest in participating and for further details
WORKSHOP: MAKE A LEPORELLO
Join children's literature mentors and mentees Freda Chiu and Leila Frijat from the MIRROR Mentorship program for an intergenerational workshop in storytelling, illustration, and bookmaking. Participants of all ages will create their own leporello (accordion-fold book) while exploring multilingual stories and creative expression. The ses
Join children's literature mentors and mentees Freda Chiu and Leila Frijat from the MIRROR Mentorship program for an intergenerational workshop in storytelling, illustration, and bookmaking. Participants of all ages will create their own leporello (accordion-fold book) while exploring multilingual stories and creative expression. The session will feature a Lost In Books pop-up with a selection of multilingual books.
Inspired by the MIRROR Mentorship program, this workshop brings together children's literature mentors and mentees to share multilingual storytelling and illustration with the community.
Recommended Age: Suitable for children aged 5 to 12 years and adults of any age. All children must be accompanied by an adult.
Capacity: 20 children + 20 adults
Saturday 19 September 2026
11 am - 12 pm
BM.01 Large Meeting Room,
PHIVE
5 Parramatta Square, Parramatta NSW 2150
FREE
The MIRROR Mentorship program is supported by the Australian Government through Creative Australia, its principal arts investment and advisory body.
WORKSHOP: WRITE HERE, WRITE NOW
Write Here Write Now is a writing workshop inspired by streets, sounds and stories of Parramatta. Across an hour, participants will respond to creative provocations, generate fresh material, and collaborate with fellow writers.
Drawing on the streets, stories, and spirit of the city, writers will explore character, structure, and voice in
Write Here Write Now is a writing workshop inspired by streets, sounds and stories of Parramatta. Across an hour, participants will respond to creative provocations, generate fresh material, and collaborate with fellow writers.
Drawing on the streets, stories, and spirit of the city, writers will explore character, structure, and voice in a process that’s equal parts playful and rigorous.
You’ll work drafting scenes, exchanging ideas, and discovering techniques which can unlock your writing.
No passive note-taking here. This is about doing, trying, and sharing. Whether you’re an experienced writer or just want to try something new, Write Here Write Now offers a chance to bring your ideas, bring your curiosity, bring your courage to an immediacy that can unlock your creativity.
Saturday 19 September 2026
11 am - 12 pm
Hambledon Cottage Coach House
FREE
Registration essential
Presented by The Parramatta Play Project as part of Parramatta's Lit! with support from City of Parramatta and Create NSW
PLAYREADING: I Can't Believe It's Not Parramatta!?
I Can’t Believe It’s Not Parramatta!? is a bold, ensemble-driven theatrical mosaic about one of Australia’s most significant and rapidly changing cities.
As cranes rise, buildings disappear, memories are unearthed and new communities reshape Parramatta, a chorus of voices competes to define what the city has been, what it is and what it mi
I Can’t Believe It’s Not Parramatta!? is a bold, ensemble-driven theatrical mosaic about one of Australia’s most significant and rapidly changing cities.
As cranes rise, buildings disappear, memories are unearthed and new communities reshape Parramatta, a chorus of voices competes to define what the city has been, what it is and what it might become.
Drafted in situ across Parramatta over 20 days in February and March 2026, the play brings together history, myth, memory, imagination and absurdity. Twenty-seven characters spanning more than two centuries collide in a fast-moving work that shifts between realism, satire, documentary and portraiture.
Written by Linda Atkins, Saurabh Bhattacharya, Micharne Cloughley, Laneikka Denne, Chris Fleming and Marcus Khoudair, the work asks us to look at Parramatta — in all its brutality, beauty and absurdity — to better understand who we are and where we are going.
NB This event, it will be presented on the verandah of Hambledon Cottage, with the audience invited to bring picnic rugs and lawn chairs to experience the reading while sitting underneath one of the oldest cork trees in Australia.
Saturday 19 September
4pm- 6pm
Hambledon Cottage Verandah
FREE
Registration essential
Presented as a free play reading as part of Parramatta’s Lit! 2026 supported by City of Parramatta, Create NSW and Creative Australia.
WORKSHOP: TAGATA MOANA WRITERS SEPTEMBER WORKSHOP
Join Tagata Moana Writers for a special public workshop as part of Parramatta’s Lit! offering. Meet a surprise interstate guest, share new writing, connect with fellow storytellers, enjoy a meal together, and experience the creative activities of NSW’s only active Pasifika-led writers organisation. All writers and curious minds are welc
Join Tagata Moana Writers for a special public workshop as part of Parramatta’s Lit! offering. Meet a surprise interstate guest, share new writing, connect with fellow storytellers, enjoy a meal together, and experience the creative activities of NSW’s only active Pasifika-led writers organisation. All writers and curious minds are welcome.
Sunday 20 September 2026
4pm - 8pm
Arts and Cultural Exchange
FREE
CONTENT WARNING: As personal experiences may be shared, this session follows Pacific Island methodologies for creating safe spaces. What is shared in the workshop must stay within the space and not be repeated or shared outside it without permission. We ask everyone to respect the trust, privacy, and cultural protocols of the group.
WEEK 3 | 21ST - 27TH SEPTEMBER 2026
1:1 MASTERCLASS: SCENE WORK WITH KEN ALEXANDER
This special 1:1 Masterclass with award winning director Ken Alexander explores the relationship between the words on the page and performance on stage.
Working with professional actors, the session will test dialogue, character, rhythm, intention and dramatic action of a work by a local writer.
About Ken Alexander
Ken brings an extraordi
This special 1:1 Masterclass with award winning director Ken Alexander explores the relationship between the words on the page and performance on stage.
Working with professional actors, the session will test dialogue, character, rhythm, intention and dramatic action of a work by a local writer.
About Ken Alexander
Ken brings an extraordinary depth of international theatre experience to this masterclass. He has served as Artistic Director of the Royal Court Theatre Liverpool, Perth Theatre and the Byre Theatre, St Andrews, as well as Associate Director at the Nuffield Theatre Southampton.
His directing career spans new writing and musical theatre across the UK and USA. His production of Whisky Galore – A Musical! earned him a Best Director nomination at the Critics’ Awards for Theatre in Scotland. More recently, his production of Peter Arnott’s The Signalman won Best New Play, Best Actor and Best Production at the CATS Awards, with Ken again nominated for Best Director.
Alongside his professional directing practice, Ken has worked extensively with emerging artists and theatre-makers, including as a guest director and visiting artist at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Sydney Conservatorium of Music and as an International Guest Artist in the United States. More about Ken can be found here: https://ken-alexander.com/
Monday 21 September 2026
PHIVE, Parramatta Square
FREE
(This an
Presented by Parramatta's Lit! in partnership with City of Parramatta
INDUSTRY PANEL: THE LONG AND WINDING ROAD TO PUBLICATION
From the outside, publication can look like the beginning. A book appears on a shelf. A new author arrives. But what happened before the book? Join forthcoming debut Western Sydney novelists Linda Atkins and Nicole Lenoir-Jourdan in conversation with multi award winning local writer Felicity Castagna about the long, often winding road to
From the outside, publication can look like the beginning. A book appears on a shelf. A new author arrives. But what happened before the book? Join forthcoming debut Western Sydney novelists Linda Atkins and Nicole Lenoir-Jourdan in conversation with multi award winning local writer Felicity Castagna about the long, often winding road to a first novel.
From the first spark of an idea through years of writing and rewriting, creative development, setbacks and breakthroughs, finding a publisher and navigating the editing process, this is a conversation about everything that happens before a book finally exists.
What keeps a writer going? How does a manuscript change along the way? And what does it feel like to reach the extraordinary moment when something you have carried privately for years is about to become a book that belongs to readers?
A candid conversation about persistence, process, creative practice and the road to publication — and a celebration of everything that happens before there is a book.
Wednesday 23 September 2026
6:30pm - 7:30pm
City of Parramatta Library
5 Parramatta Square
FREE
Presented by Parramatta's Lit! in partnership with City of Parramatta Libraries
WORKSHOP: EVERY VOICE MATTERS
Every Voice Matters: A Memoir Workshop
Everyone has a story. This workshop will be a hands-on exploration on how to start writing a memoir.
The workshop will draw on the expertise of Bruno Iradukunda, a Rwandan survivor and the author of MY FORGIVNESS STORY: A Genocide Survivor's Story of Forgiveness and the expertise of Dr Ari Lander an
Every Voice Matters: A Memoir Workshop
Everyone has a story. This workshop will be a hands-on exploration on how to start writing a memoir.
The workshop will draw on the expertise of Bruno Iradukunda, a Rwandan survivor and the author of MY FORGIVNESS STORY: A Genocide Survivor's Story of Forgiveness and the expertise of Dr Ari Lander an oral historian and the founder of Voices of Survival. Bruno is a survivor storyteller with Voices of survival and has spoken all over the world.
In this workshop they will explore the intersection of memory, healing and the art of memoir writing
Thursday 24 September 2026
10:00am–12pm
IDEAS Lab @ City of Parramatta Library
5 Parramatta Square
FREE
Registration recommended
This workshop is presented by Voices of Survival
LUNCH WITH THE STARS
The Western Sydney Region of the Children’s Book Council of Australia Inc. (CBCAWS) has organised a magical literary event to inspire and encourage young readers and writers.
Lunch with the Stars invites students from schools to enjoy a day of fun, food and fabulous conversations about books!
Twenty children’s authors and illustrators will
The Western Sydney Region of the Children’s Book Council of Australia Inc. (CBCAWS) has organised a magical literary event to inspire and encourage young readers and writers.
Lunch with the Stars invites students from schools to enjoy a day of fun, food and fabulous conversations about books!
Twenty children’s authors and illustrators will attend the event, sharing their enthusiasm and valuable experiences with young people in Stages 3 and 4. Students interact directly with authors seated at their table, asking in-depth questions and discovering the mysteries of the creative process that leads to the publication of their favourite books.
Lunch is provided for students and teachers. Special guests, including award-winning children’s authors, address the luncheon, answer curly questions and entertain our young guests with wise words and anecdotes. A bookshop will also be onsite for students to purchase more treasured tales to read.
Each table group is invited to decorate their table thematically, with prizes awarded for creativity and effort.
Thursday 24 September 2026
10:30am–2pm
Wentworthville Leagues Club
50 Smith Street, Wentworthville NSW 2145
SOLD OUT
WALKING THE DEISEAL: An Irish Blessing
Join one of Parramatta's most prolific poets, Peter Cartwright, for a gentle Saturday morning gathering drawing on an ancient Irish tradition of walking deiseal around a hearth, house or significant place
In Irish tradition, deiseal (pronounced “deh-SHUL”) means to move sunwise, following the direction of the sun. Walking deiseal around a
Join one of Parramatta's most prolific poets, Peter Cartwright, for a gentle Saturday morning gathering drawing on an ancient Irish tradition of walking deiseal around a hearth, house or significant place
In Irish tradition, deiseal (pronounced “deh-SHUL”) means to move sunwise, following the direction of the sun. Walking deiseal around a house or gathering place has long been associated with blessing, goodwill and good fortune.
On the final Saturday of Parramatta’s Lit! 2026, we invite friends of the festival, writers and community members to gather and walk together around Old Government House, offering a simple gesture of goodwill and good fortune to the place, to the festival and to all those who have gathered in Parramatta to share stories.
Come along, walk with us, and begin your Saturday with a little Irish good fortune.
Saturday 26 September 2026
9:00am
Please meet outside Old Government House shortly before 9:00am.
Old Government House, Parramatta Park
FREE (all welcome)
Presented by Peter Cartwright as part of Parramatta’s Lit! 2026
EVENT: Day & Night - A Narrative Photography Discourse for Writers
DAY & NIGHT is a literary and visual arts event created by artist-photographer Luminita Lenuta and poet Mihaela Cristescu. Presented at Government House, Parramatta, this intimate gathering brings photography and writing into conversation, inviting participants to explore how images can spark memory, imagination, reflection and creative c
DAY & NIGHT is a literary and visual arts event created by artist-photographer Luminita Lenuta and poet Mihaela Cristescu. Presented at Government House, Parramatta, this intimate gathering brings photography and writing into conversation, inviting participants to explore how images can spark memory, imagination, reflection and creative connection.
Invited writers will present original poems, essays and short stories inspired by photographs created by Luminita Lenuta. Each writer will introduce their response before sharing their work, offering audiences insight into the many ways a single image can be interpreted and transformed through language. The photographs will be printed, framed and displayed in the venue, allowing audiences to experience the visual works alongside the writing they have inspired.
Guest Writers:
Augusta SUPPLE, playwright
Danny DRAPER, poet
Linda ATKINS, novelist
Luke CARMAN, fiction writer
Peter CARTWRIGHT, poet
Welcoming Remarks
S.E. CRAWFORD, Editor ZineWest
Carol AMOS, President NWG Inc.
Live Music
Felicity AMOS, Soprano
Join us for a thoughtful celebration of image, language and imagination—and discover the stories that emerge between day and night.
Saturday, 26 September 2026
11am - 2pm
Old Government House, Parramatta
Ages 16+
FREE
Presented in partnership by Mihaela Cristescu & Luminita Lenuta through Code Mixing Poetry presented at Old Government House a property of National Trust (NSW)
INDUSTRY PANEL: ECHOES IN FICTION
INDUSTRY PANEL: THE STORIES WE NEED TO TELL
INDUSTRY PANEL: THE STORIES WE NEED TO TELL
Join authors Alexandria Burnham and Annie McCann in conversation with Eleanor Cooper discuss the ins and outs of drawing from history and culture when writing fiction.
Alexandria Burnham is an AWGIE award-winning screenwriter, novelist and writer of comics. A NIDA graduate (2016, Masters, Writing for Performance), she is best known for
Join authors Alexandria Burnham and Annie McCann in conversation with Eleanor Cooper discuss the ins and outs of drawing from history and culture when writing fiction.
Alexandria Burnham is an AWGIE award-winning screenwriter, novelist and writer of comics. A NIDA graduate (2016, Masters, Writing for Performance), she is best known for her feature film Unsound (Apple, 2020), which was nominated for best original feature at the 2020 AWGIE (Australian Writers Guild) awards.
Annie McCann is an Indonesian Australian author and emcee from Western Sydney. Founder of multiple literary networks and publisher of multiple short stories, Annie is passionate about representation in books, media and pop culture and works tirelessly to bridge the gap in the creative space.
Eleanor Cooper is a journalist and writer based in South West Sydney. She has published news articles, poetry and short fiction across a range of mediums, and is currently studying Communication, Creative Industries and Creative Leadership at University.
Saturday 26 September 2026
10:00am - 11:15am
PHIVE, Parramatta
FREE
Presented by Eleanor Cooper
INDUSTRY PANEL: THE STORIES WE NEED TO TELL
INDUSTRY PANEL: THE STORIES WE NEED TO TELL
INDUSTRY PANEL: THE STORIES WE NEED TO TELL
This panel will include survivors of war and Genocide from Cambodia, Rwanda, Burundi and Sudan. All of the panellists are storytellers who speak to school students, all of them have either published memoirs or are working on their memoirs. This will be a conversation centered around the human impulse to tell our stories and how to find
This panel will include survivors of war and Genocide from Cambodia, Rwanda, Burundi and Sudan. All of the panellists are storytellers who speak to school students, all of them have either published memoirs or are working on their memoirs. This will be a conversation centered around the human impulse to tell our stories and how to find ways to heal through sharing stories of survival.
Voices of Survival aims to be the leading entity that enables survivors and their descendants of war, genocide and natural disasters to share their stories of hope, faith and survival, in safe, moderated environments — using their wisdom and insights to inspire us to become better human beings.
By being intergenerational and intercultural, Voices of Survival utilises the power of deep listening and storytelling to educate, heal and build a more compassionate and inclusive Australian society.
Saturday 26 September 2026
12:15pm - 1:30pm
PHIVE, Parramatta
FREE
Presented in partnership by Voices of Survival
INDUSTRY PANEL: MUSIC, MAN
INDUSTRY PANEL: THE STORIES WE NEED TO TELL
INDUSTRY PANEL: WRITE ADVICE - THINGS WE WISH SOMEONE HAS TOLD US
Music, Man brings together a group of male writers for a lively conversation about the music that has shaped their lives and creative practices. From the songs that unlock memories to the soundtracks behind particular characters, stories and writing rituals, the panel explores how listening can influence what—and how—we write.
Expect per
Music, Man brings together a group of male writers for a lively conversation about the music that has shaped their lives and creative practices. From the songs that unlock memories to the soundtracks behind particular characters, stories and writing rituals, the panel explores how listening can influence what—and how—we write.
Expect personal stories, unexpected musical influences and an engaging discussion about creativity, identity, masculinity and the power of music to help us express what words alone sometimes cannot.
Western Sydney novelist and musician Jelena Curic (Sing to Me) will lead this conversation with multi-award winning short story writer Adam Byatt, Parramatta's Lit! Writer in Residence Christopher Sammut and others to be announced...
Saturday 26 September 2026
1.45–2.45pm
PHIVE, Parramatta
FREE
INDUSTRY PANEL: WRITE ADVICE - THINGS WE WISH SOMEONE HAS TOLD US
INDUSTRY PANEL: WRITE ADVICE - THINGS WE WISH SOMEONE HAS TOLD US
INDUSTRY PANEL: WRITE ADVICE - THINGS WE WISH SOMEONE HAS TOLD US
WRITE ADVICE - Things We Wish Someone Had Told Us
Join us for an industry panel about working in Australian writing.
How do you actually build a life working with books, writers and ideas? And what do people working at the top of the literary sector know now that they really wish someone had told them earlier?
Parramatta’s Lit! brings togeth
WRITE ADVICE - Things We Wish Someone Had Told Us
Join us for an industry panel about working in Australian writing.
How do you actually build a life working with books, writers and ideas? And what do people working at the top of the literary sector know now that they really wish someone had told them earlier?
Parramatta’s Lit! brings together a lively collection of writers and industry leaders for a candid, practical — and hopefully very funny — conversation about how the literary world really works. In conversation with Valerie Chidiac is Sara Mansour, Leo Tanoi, Erin Taylor, James Elazzi.
Expect useful advice, strong opinions, mistakes survived, opportunities missed and taken, things nobody puts in the funding application, and some frank discussion about money, relationships, reputation, resilience and making a career in an industry that doesn't always come with a map.
What matters? What doesn't? Who should you talk to? What should you stop worrying about? And what do our literary leaders wish emerging writers and arts workers knew? Come for the industry intelligence. Stay for the stories they probably shouldn't be telling you.
Saturday 26 September 2026
3:00pm - 4:15pm
PHIVE, Parramatta
FREE
WEEK 4 | 28TH - 30TH SEPTEMBER 2026
INDUSTRY PANEL: SECRET AGENT'S BUSINESS
What does a literary agent actually do?
What are they looking for in a writer or manuscript — and what makes them want to keep reading?
Join Martin Shaw (Shaw Literary) and Dan Pilkington ( The Pilkington Agency), two of Australia’s leading literary agents for a candid conversation about the joys, challenges and mysteries of representing
What does a literary agent actually do?
What are they looking for in a writer or manuscript — and what makes them want to keep reading?
Join Martin Shaw (Shaw Literary) and Dan Pilkington ( The Pilkington Agency), two of Australia’s leading literary agents for a candid conversation about the joys, challenges and mysteries of representing writers. From finding new voices and pitching manuscripts to publishers, to contracts, careers and the writer–agent relationship,
Secret Agent’s Business offers writers an insider’s view of what happens between finishing a manuscript and the agent's role in helping a great work find its way into the world.
Come with questions. Leave with a better understanding of what agents do (and what they don't do - on purpose!), what they’re looking for, and how best to approach them.
Monday 28 September 2026
6:30pm-7:30pm
PHIVE,
5 Parramatta Square
FREE
Presented by Parramatta's Lit! in partnership with City of Parramatta
OPEN MIC
Founded in 2005, Auburn Poets & Writers (APW) brings together writers from a rich range of linguistic and cultural backgrounds to share poetry, prose and writing for performance and publication.
At the heart of APW is its much-loved monthly Open Mic — a welcoming space for established and emerging writers, poets, performers and musicians t
Founded in 2005, Auburn Poets & Writers (APW) brings together writers from a rich range of linguistic and cultural backgrounds to share poetry, prose and writing for performance and publication.
At the heart of APW is its much-loved monthly Open Mic — a welcoming space for established and emerging writers, poets, performers and musicians to test new work, share their words and connect with fellow creatives.
There will, as always, be an Open Section for writers and musicians!
Each month features a special guest alongside an Open Section, inviting writers and musicians to step up to the mic. APW also develops multilingual performances and collaborative works around shared themes, celebrating the extraordinary diversity of voices that make up Western Sydney.
Auburn Poets & Writers strives to present the best in poetry and music to Parramatta.
Monday 28 September 2026
Doors open 7pm
WestWords Centre For Writing
at Old Government House
FREE
This event is a partnership between Auburn Poets & Writers and WestWords Centre for Writing at Old Government House
Playreading: The Parramatta Play Project Workshop
Playreading: The Parramatta Play Project Workshop
Seven Writers. Three Days. One New Play.
What happens when seven Western Sydney writers are given three days, three Parramatta locations and the challenge of creating a new play together?
Throughout August, Sunny Grace, Kate Jirelle, Dilroop Khangura, Josephine Lee, Pirie Outridge, Linh Pham and Kobra Sayyadi have been brought together for
Seven Writers. Three Days. One New Play.
What happens when seven Western Sydney writers are given three days, three Parramatta locations and the challenge of creating a new play together?
Throughout August, Sunny Grace, Kate Jirelle, Dilroop Khangura, Josephine Lee, Pirie Outridge, Linh Pham and Kobra Sayyadi have been brought together for The Parramatta Play Project Workshop.
Working across the city in venues such as PHIVE, Hambledon Cottage and the Whitlam Institute at Western Sydney University, the writers have explored Parramatta through its histories, people, places and rapidly changing identity. This public workshop reading offers audiences a first encounter with a new work still in development. Come and hear a new Parramatta play at the very beginning of its life.
Tuesday 29 September 2026
6pm-7:30pm
PHIVE
FREE
Presented by The Parramatta Play Project as part of Parramatta's Lit! with support from City of Parramatta and Create NSW
Playreading: KaMeeNi
Playreading: The Parramatta Play Project Workshop
KaMeeNi is a bold and thought-provoking play by Abida Malik that explores gender, culture, and identity within the Pakistani-Australian community. Fearlessly confronting patriarchy and misogyny, the performance shines a powerful light on women’s struggles while celebrating their resilience, courage, and strength. It is a moving story of
KaMeeNi is a bold and thought-provoking play by Abida Malik that explores gender, culture, and identity within the Pakistani-Australian community. Fearlessly confronting patriarchy and misogyny, the performance shines a powerful light on women’s struggles while celebrating their resilience, courage, and strength. It is a moving story of survival, defiance, and empowerment that will leave audiences reflecting long after the curtain falls.
KaMeeni is a multi -ingual play in Urdu and English.
Wednesday 30 September 2026
6pm - 7:30pm
PHIVE, Parramatta
FREE
Content Warning: coarse language and mature themes
Presented by The Afsana Company
WORKSHOP: WRITE HERE, WRITE NOW
WORKSHOP: WRITE HERE, WRITE NOW
Write Here Write Now is a writing workshop inspired by streets, sounds and stories of Parramatta. Across two-hours, participants will respond to creative provocations, generate fresh material, and collaborate with fellow writers.
Drawing on the streets, stories, and spirit of the city, writers will explore character, structure, and voice
Write Here Write Now is a writing workshop inspired by streets, sounds and stories of Parramatta. Across two-hours, participants will respond to creative provocations, generate fresh material, and collaborate with fellow writers.
Drawing on the streets, stories, and spirit of the city, writers will explore character, structure, and voice in a process that’s equal parts playful and rigorous.
You’ll work drafting scenes, exchanging ideas, and discovering techniques which can unlock your writing.
No passive note-taking here. This is about doing, trying, and sharing. Whether you’re an experienced writer or just want to try something new, Write Here Write Now offers a chance to bring your ideas, bring your curiosity, bring your courage to an immediacy that can unlock your creativity.
Thursday 1 October 2026
10am-12pm
IDEAS Lab, Library
FREE
Registration recommended
Presented by The Parramatta Play Project as part of Parramatta's Lit! with support from City of Parramatta and Create NSW
WORKSHOP: FROM VOICE TO VOLUME
WORKSHOP: WRITE HERE, WRITE NOW
Everyone has a story, an idea or a lesson worth sharing. The challenge is knowing where to begin. From Voice to Volume is a free, interactive workshop for aspiring authors ready to turn their experience, expertise or imagination into a compelling chapter.
Led by published author Anu Bedi, participants will uncover the chapter only they ca
Everyone has a story, an idea or a lesson worth sharing. The challenge is knowing where to begin. From Voice to Volume is a free, interactive workshop for aspiring authors ready to turn their experience, expertise or imagination into a compelling chapter.
Led by published author Anu Bedi, participants will uncover the chapter only they can write, identify their reader and build a writing roadmap. During the workshop they will also be invited to register their interest in being part of a selective opportunity to join 12–15 emerging voices in an anthology of short stories.
Anu Bedi is a Sydney-based author, strategic advisor, leadership coach and entrepreneur whose work explores culture, identity, belonging and human leadership. She is passionate about helping emerging voices turn lived experience, expertise and ideas into writing that matters.
Friday 2 October 2026
10am-12pm
IDEAS Lab, Library
FREE
Registration recommended
Presented by Impowerfull in partnership with Parramatta's Lit! and the City of Parramatta Library