Schools Program

8 October 2026 at Brisbane Powerhouse


The 2026 Schools Program is now available via the schools booking form. Tickets will be available to the general public from 5 August.

The Brisbane Writers Festival schools program is a celebration of reading, writing and storytelling—and an adventure from beginning to end! We invite students to grow and experiment with their creativity and immerse themselves in the magic of story with some of Australia’s leading writers for children and young adults.

Featured authors this year include Jacqueline Harvey, Morris Gleitzman, Dr Matt Agnew, Gary Lonesborough, Kate Foster, Sally Rippin, Carla Salmon, Bori Cser, and Peter Carnavas.

See below for a list of events, the timetable, how to book, pricing (including bundle deals), and more general information. We recommend school groups use the booking form to secure a place for your students.

The BWF schools program is supported by The University of Queensland.

Artwork by Rachel Tribout.

Don’t forget to check out this year’s Microfiction Competition for Queensland-based school students, with $1,500 in prize money to be won! Scroll down for more information.

#Program Timetable

#How to book

Booking Form

#Primary

Jacqueline Harvey: The Stories Behind the Stories

Powerhouse Theatre

Sally Rippin: Lottie, Pog and the Runaway Ghost

The Dome

Peter Carnavas: Small Goat, Big Adventure

Underground Theatre

​Dr Matt Agnew: AI, Algorithms, and Arguing​

Fairfax Studio

#Lower Secondary

Dr Matt Agnew: AI, Algorithms, and Arguing

Lower Secondary / Schools Program

Dr Matt Agnew: AI, Algorithms, and Arguing

Underground Theatre

Gary Lonesborough: A boy from Bega

Lower Secondary / Schools Program

Gary Lonesborough: A boy from Bega

Fairfax Studio

Kate Foster: Your Voice. Your Choice.

Lower Secondary / Schools Program

Kate Foster: Your Voice. Your Choice.

Powerhouse Theatre

#Upper Secondary

Morris Gleitzman: What I Do, How I Do It, and Why I'm Not In Jail

The Dome

Carla Salmon: Stories You Can't Escape

Upper Secondary / Schools Program

Carla Salmon: Stories You Can't Escape

Underground Theatre

Bori Cser: A Sceptic's Guide to Worldbuilding

Upper Secondary / Schools Program

Bori Cser: A Sceptic's Guide to Worldbuilding

Fairfax Studio

Gary Lonesborough: A boy from Bega​

Upper Secondary / Schools Program

Gary Lonesborough: A boy from Bega​

Powerhouse Theatre

#Getting to the Festival

For school groups who are planning to organise a coach bus or similar, please advise the driver to drop you off inside the New Farm Park Ring Road, at the loading zone.​ See the documents below for more information about visiting Brisbane Powerhouse for the festival.

#Microfiction Competition

Find out more

#2026 YA & Schools Program Artwork by Rachel Tribout

Rachel Tribout is a French-born illustrator and graphic designer currently based in Brisbane, Queensland. She spent over a decade immersed in the arts scene of Hobart, Tasmania, before relocating her studio to Brisbane. Her work bridges commercial branding, large-scale signage, illustrations for cultural projects, community conservation campaigns and children’s books.

She has illustrated numerous children’s titles, including Cheer Up, Blobfish! (written by Julie Murphy, Affirm Press), Hold On! Saving the Spotted Handfish (written by Gina M. Newton, CSIRO Publishing), One Remarkable Reef (written by Kellie Byrnes, State Library of QLD), Lawless Ladies (written by Angela Buckingham, Five Miles), and Poo, Spew and Other Gross Things Animals Do! (written by Nicole Gill and Romane Cristescu, CSIRO Publishing). She also creates and self-publishes her own series, The Adventures of Captain Blueberry, and has toured internationally as a live-drawing performance artist with Terrapin Puppet Theatre. Across her practice she works closely with businesses, environmental organisations, and publishers, illustrating water literacy campaigns and wildlife protection projects.

Visit Rachel's website

#FAQs

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