Words are how we make sense of the world, and of each other. They are how we grieve, how we celebrate, how we argue, show love, teach each other what is important and tell the truth. In the books and stories we return they are how we ask each other ‘this is how the world seems to me. Is it this way for you too?’

Our festival’s recurrent theme; Because Words Matter, has shaped the choices we made bringing this year’s Berry Writers’ Festival to life. 

We live in a moment when words can be swiftly flattened into soundbites, manipulated by machines and treated as disposable by insatiable algorithms. And yet words are still what mobilise communities, preserve disappearing languages, hold power to account and reflect who we really are – ugly bits and all. 

For this festival we have gathered from across Australia 70 of our most talented authors, poets, journalists and researchers who understand the urgency of protecting storytelling and value of writing as a cornerstone of human craft and creation. Across more than 35 sessions, this year’s program tackles ideas that delight and challenge us, issues that vex us and showcases authors at the peak of their abilities. Independent writers festivals like ours are more important than ever, as places where we can ask difficult questions and make new connections.

Since 2022, Berry Writers’ Festival has been a magical time when our small town opens its doors to big ideas. This year is no different. It’s thanks to an army of volunteers that believe in the impact of what we do that this weekend is possible. Whether you join a panel that challenges you, hear poetry that unspools you, join a session on why building a lifetime of reading is sacred, witness a conversation that makes you reach for a pen to take notes, or hear a diatribe that makes you laugh until you cry, I hope this weekend leaves you with a renewed sense of hope and appreciation for what words can do when handled with care, courage and conviction.

Best

Tori Haschka