Every May, Sydney Writers’ Festival gathers a diverse, engaged literary community together at Carriageworks in inner Sydney for a vibrant, thoughtful and fun week-long celebration of books, writing and ideas.
SWF, as it’s fondly known, is a perennial favourite in our schedule. Leading Hand’s directors, Jamie Carroll and Brett Osmond, have long been festival patrons, and we have handled SWF’s design output and production every year since 2015.
Design work for SWF starts with the festival program, which gradually evolved from a simple newspaper insert in The Sydney Morning Herald into a 60-page A5 brochure. We then flow the selected concept over to the festival’s entire suite of signage, media and advertisements in print and digital outputs.
Thoughtful, practical wayfinding is a key factor in SWF’s success as a destination. Our wayfinding signage not only supports efficient and stress-free attendance for all, but also supports the former railway workshop’s transformation into a vibrant festival space.
SWF enriches the lives of an astounding number of Australians, both visitors and creators, every year.
2025’s festival alone saw:
The festival showcases the nation’s diverse contemporary writers, including First Nations writers. Audience accessibility is a priority, ensured through free events, live streaming and a podcast program as well as effective onsite wayfinding.
Our rich partnership with SWF means Leading Hand can help support literature and the arts in Australia.
