![\"Louise](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/louise-adler-has-resigned-as-the-director-of-adelaide-writer-FKPKJBB47ZCZLNCDBAS34TTRKU.jpg\")
<\/p>\nWhen former NZ Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern pulled out of the Adelaide Writers Festival, following the disinvitation of Australian writer Randa Abdel-Fattah, she was just one domino in a catastrophic series of events that saw the major festival cancelled. As accusations continue to fly as to who drove the axing of Abdel-Fattah from the programme, Melbourne academic Kim Goodwin questions the role of boards in such events.<\/p>\n
This week the Adelaide Writers Week was cancelled for 2026 \u2013 less than a week after Palestinian-Australian writer Randa Abdel-Fattah was disinvited by the Adelaide Festival board. This came despite the \u201cstrongest opposition\u201d from Writers Week director Louise Adler, who resigned on Tuesday morning. The board has announced its remaining members will step down too. (One exception is the Adelaide City Council representative, who will stay on until their term expires on February 2.)<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Louise Adler has resigned as the director of Adelaide Writers’ Week. (Source: Adelaide Writers’ Week) (Source: Supplied)<\/p>\n
Adler calls the cancellation \u201cno surprise\u201d. She told the Guardian \u201cI am so sorry that this masterclass in poor governance has landed us in this position\u201d.<\/p>\n
Last week, the board claimed it \u201cwould not be culturally sensitive\u201d to program Abdel-Fattah so soon after the Bondi attacks, due to unspecified \u201cpast statements\u201d \u2013 though \u201cwe do not suggest in any way that Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah\u2019s [sic] or her writings have any connection\u201d. One \u201cstatement\u201d being cited now is Abdel-Fattah\u2019s social media comment (which she has confirmed) that Zionists \u201chave no claim or right to cultural safety\u201d.<\/p>\n
![\"Randa](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/randa-abdel-fattah-DZXLWK6DTVAERPRMBPBIQPLHMQ.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Randa Abdel-Fattah is a Palestinian-Australian writer who frequently explores issues of identity and what it means to be Muslim in Australia. (The Sydney Morning Herald\/Fairfax Media via Getty Images)<\/p>\n
Today, the board apologised to Abdel-Fattah, who was programmed to discuss her 2025 novel, Discipline, \u201cfor how the decision was represented\u201d. It said \u201cthis is not about identity or dissent but rather a continuing rapid shift in the national discourse around the breadth of freedom of expression in our nation following Australia\u2019s worst terror attack in history\u201d.<\/p>\n
![\"Mourners](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/mourners-gather-at-a-vigil-for-the-15-victims-of-the-bondi-b-T7THCW75EZERHFFXPQXOJ3I6G4.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Mourners gather at a vigil for the victims of the Bondi beach shooting in December. (Source: 1News)<\/p>\n
Shows why we need artists in leadership<\/p>\n
Over the weekend, three board members resigned. On Sunday, Marque Lawyers, acting on behalf of Abdel-Fattah, wrote to Adelaide Festival board chair Tracey Whiting AM, requesting all pertinent information used in the board\u2019s decision for potential litigation purposes. By Monday, Whiting had tendered her resignation as well.<\/p>\n
Overall, \u201cmore than 180\u201d presenters withdrew from the festival. They included international drawcards Zadie Smith, former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, M Gessen and Yanis Varoufakis \u2013 as well as prominent Australian authors Helen Garner, Hannah Kent and Trent Dalton.<\/p>\n
![\"Former](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/jacinda-on-norton-MBY5FDZ4TVANRJXQMUQ6TU7HGI.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was among the more than 180 presenters who withdrew from the festival. (Source: BBC)<\/p>\n
The board\u2019s statement today, sent to festival participants, said the resignation of its remaining members will \u201callow for an orderly transition to a new Board to secure the success of the 2026 Adelaide Festival and beyond\u201d.<\/p>\n
There were no artists or writers on the Adelaide Festival board.<\/p>\n
![\"Adelaide](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/adelaide-LTCJPSHJXBAFDKBLFH3GUZZZX4.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Adelaide Writers Week is part of the Adelaide Arts Festival and is a signicant cultural event in Australia with a more than 65-year history. (Source: Getty)<\/p>\n
\u201cThis whole debacle is an object lesson in why representation from artists and writers in leadership positions is essential,\u201d Miles Franklin shortlisted author Jennifer Mills, chair of the Australian Society of Authors, told The Conversation. She declared she was \u201cfurious\u201d.<\/p>\n
![\"Withdrawals](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/zadie-smith-IBTJU3TNABD5LBUPK2757KEEA4.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Withdrawals from the festival include big international names such as UK writer Zadie Smith. (Source: Getty)<\/p>\n
Who\u2019s in charge – the director or board?<\/p>\n
In an arts organisation, the board\u2019s role is one of governance, not management. The board sets the conditions for success and accountability, but it is the staff and artistic leaders who deliver the work. A board should provide strategic stewardship, financial and risk oversight. Importantly, their role is to be guardians of artistic purpose.<\/p>\n
Increasingly, arts boards are weighing up artistic purpose against perceived organisational risk. This is often putting them at odds with those tasked with executing these decisions. We saw this last year, when Creative Australia backflipped in their appointment of the Venice Biennale artistic team artist Khaled Sabsabi and curator Michael Dagostino.<\/p>\n
Boards are usually made up of a range of members, who bring essential skills to the governance role. This generally means a balance of expertise, networks and lived experience.<\/p>\n
Many would expect arts organisations to have artists or those with strong arts knowledge on their boards.<\/p>\n
Over the past 30 years, however, there has been a strong push towards corporatisation of arts boards. Arts organisations have adopted private-sector style governance models, with organisations seen as \u201centerprises\u201d rather than cultural institutions. Board appointees are more likely to come from financial, legal or marketing backgrounds than to be artists or arts workers.<\/p>\n
![\"Rana](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/rana-abdel-fattah-had-been-programmed-to-discuss-her-2025-no-X2QDQ6TEIJBULK6US6F6QJIF3Q.png\")
<\/p>\n
Rana Abdel-Fattah had been programmed to discuss her 2025 novel, Discipline. (Source: Supplied)<\/p>\n
Political involvement?<\/p>\n
The Australian arts sector operates on an \u201carm’s length principle\u201d, where organisational and funding decisions are protected from political interference.<\/p>\n
Questions have been raised, however, about political involvement in the Abdel-Fattah case. Australian author and journalist Walter Marsh cited South Australia Premier Peter Malinauskas\u2019 intense media activity around the decision, among other things.<\/p>\n
![\"South](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/south-australia-premier-peter-malinauskas-XYQSHFKDMVDXVPQBNWU3DEIE2Q.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
South Australia Premier Peter Malinauskas (Source: Getty)<\/p>\n
Malinauskas \u2013 who faces a state election on March 21 \u2013 says he didn\u2019t pressure Adelaide Festival to drop Abdel-Fattah and that decisions were made by the board. \u201cIf Writers\u2019 Week seeks my views on things, and I certainly offered them, it\u2019s up to them whether or not what decisions they make and they get held account for them accordingly,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
South Australian Greens MLC Robert Simms has called for \u201can independent review, with involvement from the arts community to look at all of the things that have gone on here [\u2026] and to look at the independence of the board\u201d.<\/p>\n
The resignation of the Adelaide Festival board and today\u2019s statement led to speculation as to what has occurred within the boardroom. Mills questions the decision-making process and its subsequent impact on the arts community.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not clear on how and where these decisions were actually made, and that\u2019s part of the problem,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s become clear to me that we need to democratise our arts institutions, not just in terms of changing who sits on boards, but in terms of their entire structure, to ensure there is some accountability and transparency in future.\u201d<\/p>\n
The events that unfolded this week are the most recent in a long line of controversies, cancellations and conflicts between boards, staff, artists and the communities they engage with.<\/p>\n
The State Library of Victoria, Bendigo Writers Festival and Creative Australia have all, over the past year, faced scrutiny when decisions made by boards have raised questions around artistic independence and freedom of speech.<\/p>\n
Call to recognise \u2018dreamers and visionaries\u2019<\/p>\n
Artists and arts leaders are calling for a renewed recognition of arts expertise, to recognise the \u201cdreamers and visionaries\u201d who show us what we can be. This means our arts organisations should be governed by artists and those who deeply understand the sector.<\/p>\n
As Adler wrote: “In my view, boards composed of individuals with little experience in the arts, and blind to the moral implications of abandoning the principle of freedom of expression, have been unnerved by the pressure exerted by politicians calculating their electoral prospects and relentless, coordinated letter-writing campaigns.”<\/p>\n
Others say changing board make-up is not enough. Kate Larsen, a prominent arts writer and consultant, told me, \u201cIt\u2019s clear we need more and deeper artistic and sector knowledge informing our organisational decision-making.\u201d <\/p>\n
But it\u2019s not as easy as appointing skills-based boards. She believes we \u201cneed to radically rethink our unfit and outdated not-for-profit governance models \u2013 including the idea of having \u2018boards\u2019 at all\u201d.<\/p>\n
For now, the Adelaide Festival board, like those that have faced similar situations, have recognised the need to reengage with their stakeholders, community and audience. Let\u2019s see what happens next.<\/p>\n
Kim Goodwin is a Lecturer in Arts Management and Human Resources, The University of Melbourne. <\/p>\n