The inaugural Footscray West Writers Fest is set to transform the neighbourhood into a playground of prose this autumn.
Melbourne’s west is getting lit – literally – as the inaugural Footscray West Writers Fest prepares to take over the streets at the end of the month.
Running from March 28 to 30, the festival will see poetry readings spilling out of wine bars and panel discussions brewing in pizzerias as West Footscray transforms into a celebration of stories, people and community.
Footscray West Writers Fest
- March 28 to 30, 2025
- Various locations
- Tickets are on sale now
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Born from the minds behind West Footscray Arts, a non-profit dedicated to injecting the west with cultural swagger, FWWF promises to showcase the rich diversity of the area through a mix of storytelling, performance and creative exchange. With support from Maribyrnong City Council, the festival offers a stack of free and ticketed events across Footscray’s most beloved haunts.
Festival co-curators Jess Lilley and Donita Richards are pumped about creating something that’s truly “for the west, by the west” – giving locals the chance to experience familiar spots in fresh ways.
Ever fancied hearing your favourite author read while demolishing a pizza or hammering out your own story on a typewriter in a local art studio? Now’s your chance.
The fest has pulled together an impressive lineup of wordsmiths including Alice Pung, Thuy On, Dr Vicki Couzens, André Dao, Deborah Frenkel, Shu-Ling Chua, Najma Sambul, Benjamin Millar, Saanjana Kapoor, Rochelle Siemienowicz, Fiona Scott-Norman and Charlie Lewis.
From the Westgate Bridge to Cheaper by Miles and Savers, iconic west side locations will become the backdrop for original site-specific stories, creating a literary map of the neighbourhood that celebrates its unique character and the voices that call it home.
The brainchild of local writers and storytellers who sprouted from the Chestnut Tree Bookshop in West Footscray, this fresh addition to Melbourne’s literary calendar is backed by some solid local support, with Community Bank Seddon, Victoria University, Tradewind Australia, The Westsider, Bad Writers Club, The Open Arms, Athletes of Wine, Harley & Rose and West Footscray Wines all throwing their weight behind the festival.
Tickets and full program details available here.
