Gaza War fallout continues to affect the literary world

The Israel–Gaza war has widened divisions in literary circles, leading to disruptions such as the cancellation of Adelaide Writers' Week after a disputed disinvitation and controversy in Canada after the Giller Prize announced a jury made up of independent booksellers.

Arts organizations outside the Middle East have experienced deep divisions since Oct. 7, 2023, linked to the Israel–Gaza war. Recent incidents include the cancellation of Adelaide Writers' Week after the festival rescinded an invitation to a Palestinian-Australian writer and widespread withdrawals and resignations. In Canada, the Giller Prize has faced protests over sponsor ties to Israel and has announced a change to a bookseller-only jury. These developments have prompted debate about governance, inclusion and the role of literary events. Key developments: - Adelaide Writers' Week was cancelled after the festival's former board rescinded the invitation to Randa Abdel-Fattah; more than 180 other participants withdrew, director Louise Adler resigned, and most of the board stepped down. - The festival's new board issued an apology to Ms. Abdel-Fattah and Ms. Adler and affirmed the importance of intellectual and artistic freedom. - The Giller Prize announced its jury will be made up of independent booksellers rather than authors, a change that has drawn criticism over the jury's lack of cultural diversity. - The Giller has previously been the target of protests tied to sponsors' connections to Israel, and its executive director had warned last year that the organization risked folding without federal funding. Summary: Literary festivals and prizes have experienced concrete organizational and programming disruptions amid divisions tied to the Israel–Gaza war, affecting authors, organizers and audiences. What happens next for individual events and institutions is undetermined at this time.