Brooke Webb is the Chief Executive Officer at the Sydney Writers’ Festival. For the past 27 years, she has held senior and executive-level roles, leading the creation of commercial theatrical productions, concerts, and festivals, working both within Australia and internationally.
She has worked with global entertainment companies, multinational corporations, state governments, not-for-profit organisations, local councils, and private SME agencies. Her diverse experience includes serving as the Artistic Director at Cirque Du Soleil (Canada, North America, South America, and the Middle East), Executive Director – Concerts and Touring at Universal Music in New York City (USA), Resident Artistic Director on The Producers collaborating with Mel Brooks, Susan Stroman and the US Creative Team (Australian Tour 2003–2005).
She is now well and truly settled at the Sydney Writers’ Festival, so Irresistible caught up with her to find out what’s on her not-to-miss list, and why feels so inspired in the heart of the literary world.
Can you tell us what you are really looking forward to in Sydney Writers’ Festival 2025
Brooke Webb: I am really looking forward to The Art and Science of AI with Jeanette Winterson and Toby Walsh. AI is it’s own beast, but Jeanette Winterson is probably one of my favourite writers. She’s so eloquent and poetic. I love the idea of a scientist and an artist together and I couldn’t think of a better pairing . Its really hard to find people who can meet in the middle like that.
I’m really interested in cancel culture and so I’m looking forward to catching A.C. Grayling’s talk about that.
Maggie O’ Farrell’s Hamnet has got to be one of my top 10 books. Nobody knows much about O’Farrell. She’s so mysterious, so that’s so exciting.
We have a session called Pen Pals with Michelle Brasier, Virginia Gay, and Chloe Elisabeth Wilson. It is going to be so much fun.
I think Marian Keyes is funnier than a stand-up comedian. I’ve read all her books. That is going to be a delight.
Colm Tóibín is one of the most brilliant orators you’ll ever see. I love how the Irish value the artform of writing, and in the Making a Writer session he and Charlotte Wood will be discussing what countries and states need to do to support their writers.
I am so excited for the Dame Harriet Walter session. Her new book about what Shakespeare’s women might have said is going to be fascinating.
I’m really curious to hear Matthew Walker’s session on Why We Sleep session with Matthew Walker. It’s so relevant to all of us.
Do you remember the first time you went to Sydney Writers’ Festival?
I didn’t grow up in Sydney, and my early work history was over in Europe and the USA, so I was late to get here. My first experience was only in 2016, when I saw Gloria Steinem. Where do you go from there? I was amazed at the feeling of community that came from the festival. I still am. That’s what really attracted me to work at the festival.
Where did you grow up then?
My dad was in the Navy, so it was a lot of places. My formative years were in Darwin, and I grew up all over Australia. Adelaide, Melbourne, Canberra. There’s something that happens to you when you’re in high school in Canberra as I was, by 18 you’re out of there. Or you stay your whole life. I left and I went to Europe for 5 years. I studied puppetry in Prague. I took every weirdo job that there was, and eventually came back to Canberra. I didn’t feel like I really fitted in there anymore so I moved to Melbourne. I’ve moved all over Australia again. Really I’ve never stopped.
Writers are primary producers of the arts, there’s no question. But it is also ridiculously hard for writers to be full-time writers. We do have a tendency to undervalue the craft of writing. Writers earn an average of $13000. They’ve typically spent five years meticulously crafting a book. If we don’t do something now to support them, in 20-30 years time it wont be a viable career for people. When you read something that can blow you away and move you, that needs to be supported. Writers have the ability to articulate something that is so intangible. With Jeanette Winterson it feels like she’s channeling something from the gods. I want to highlight that we have to value it. Providing writers with time and space to write and create is so important. Imagine what would happen if we could give writers a salary.
Who is your local hero of Sydney Writers?
We’re fortunate that we have a really great relationship with Richard Flanagan. I love how fearless and courageous he is. I’ve just gone back and read Question 7 for the third time. I was told once you’ve never really read a book until you’ve read in three times, and Question 7 just gets more poetic and prophetic each time.
Which other literary festival would you love to go to?
The Hay Festival is straight after us so it’s so hard to go. I’d love to go to Edinburgh, Brooklyn and Frankfurt Book Fairs. I don’t really have a sense of the scale of it, but I’m desperate to get to the Jaipur Literary Festival. I know I’m going to love it.
Sydney Writers’ Festival runs from 19–27 May 2025.
