After collapse and controversy, Adelaide writers’ week has a new director: ‘I don’t envy anyone in this position’

"New Leadership for a Tainted Literary Festival: Rosemarie Milsom Takes the Helm In a move that may signal a fresh start for the embattled Adelaide Writers' Week, Rosemarie Milsom has been appointed to take over from the ousted Louise Adler. The decision comes after a tumultuous period for the festival, which imploded in January following a highly publicized controversy surrounding the invitation of Palestinian-Australian author Randa Abdel-Fattah. The festival's board had disinvited Abdel-Fattah due to past comments she made about Israel and Zionism, but the move sparked a massive backlash from the literary community, with over 200 writers boycotting the event and Adler resigning in protest. As Milsom takes the reins, she faces a daunting task in rebuilding the festival's reputation and restoring trust among its writers and audiences."

Rosemarie Milsom, who formed and runs Newcastle writers festival, will take over from Louise Adler after the literary festival imploded over invitation to Randa Abdel-FattahIn January, as the implosion of Adelaide writers’ week made headlines around Australia and the world, Rosemarie Milsom was watching closely.The Adelaide festival board, which oversees AWW, had overridden the literary festival’s director, Louise Adler, and disinvited the Palestinian-Australian author Randa Abdel-Fattah over past comments she’d made about Israel and Zionism. This decision resulted not in a quieter, less-controversial festival as the board members may have hoped, but a boycott by 200-odd writers, the resignation of Adler – followed by the whole board – a potential defamation lawsuit against the South Australian premier and the collapse of AWW. Continue reading...