Join the largest gathering of Asian and Asian Australian writers and thinkers in the country for a weekend of thought-provoking panels, inspiring conversations and engaging workshops at OzAsia Festival’s Weekend of Words this November at Adelaide Festival Centre.

Sami Shah. Photo Credit: Nicole Cleary.

The 2024 program features an extraordinary lineup of novelists, journalists, poets, playwrights, performers, and screenwriters from across Australia and Asia, from Friday 8 to Sunday 10 November.

Curated by multi-award-winning writer and comedian Sami Shah, OzAsia Festival’s Weekend of Words is an engaging program of writing, culture and creativity, featuring 24 free events from more than 35 Asian and Asian Australian creatives, including international guests Benjamin Chee and Wayne Rée from Singapore Writers Festival, Vajra Chandrasekera from Sri Lanka and South Korea’s Bora Chung and Anton Hur.

OzAsia Festival’s Weekend of Words begins with the Opening Night Gala on Friday 8 November. A captivating celebration of the power of storytelling featuring Lawrence Leung, Qin Qin, Siang Lu, and many more, sharing their unique career journeys and the unexpected paths their lives have taken.

OzAsia Festival’s Weekend of Words is not just about books; focus on the journeys of Asian Australian screenwriters bringing our stories to film and TV in Script to Screen: The Craft of Screenwriting, explore the world of graphic novels and comics in Speech Bubbles: The Art of the Graphic Novel, and join top Asian Australian comedians as they navigate humour, stereotypes, and cultural expectations in Asians Are Funny.

ABC Radio National show Stop Everything! will take over Adelaide Festival Centre’s Space Theatre with a live broadcast hosted by Beverley Wang and special guest Benjamin Law. Catch up on the biggest and latest pop culture news live on Saturday 9 November.

Asia Society Australia will explore the modern Asian Australian identity, with leading Asian Australian voices from diplomacy, business and the arts sharing their insights on strengthening Australia-Asia ties in the Quartet Bar on Thursday 31 October. Gain insights into emerging literary trends, new genres, and how contemporary authors are redefining narratives to reflect a diverse and evolving world, in The Future of Writing.

Join Sami Shah for an engaging book club as he delves into Salman Rushdie’s masterpiece, Midnight’s Children on Sunday 10 November. Discover the rich mix of history, magical realism and identity woven through the pages of this iconic novel in an afternoon of literary exploration, community and stimulating conversation.

The much loved and hilarious Closing Night Debate returns this year. Hosted by Sami Shah on the evening of Sunday 10 November, comedians and authors including Jason Chong, Benjamin Law, Sarah Malik, Jennifer Wong and many more will debate the topic of Chinese Food vs Indian Food.

Office for Ageing Well and Seniors Card are proud Program Partners of OzAsia Festival and the Weekend of Words program.

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More information from the 2024 OzAsia Festival edition of WeekendPlus: