National Young Writers' Festival

What National Young Writers' Festival does

National Young Writers' Festival (NYWF) is an Australian non-profit organisation founded in 1998 that operates an annual four-day literary festival in Newcastle, NSW, dedicated to emerging writers aged 18-35. The festival has presented independently since 2021 after separating from the This is Not Art (TiNA) festival collective, and since 2022 has run a hybrid model combining in-person programming across multiple Newcastle venues with a digital programme delivered via live-stream and on-demand access on its website and YouTube. The core festival sits alongside three supporting programmes: the Younger Young Writers' Program (YYWP) for writers aged 13-17, the Zine Fair, and the Incubator mentorship programme. All core events are free to attend, and artists receive a minimum payment of AUD 200 per event. NYWF is structured as a registered charity with Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) status, governed by a volunteer board and operated by a small core team of approximately four staff who largely work on a volunteer basis. Revenue is generated through multi-tier government arts grants (Creative Australia, Create NSW, City of Newcastle, and Festivals Australia for the YYWP), supplemented by tax-deductible donations and in-kind venue and media support from local Newcastle businesses and publishers including Fremantle Press, The Suburban Review, and Red Room Poetry. The underlying technology stack is conventional: a WordPress-based website, TryBooking for event registration, YouTube for streaming, and Mailchimp for email distribution. The 2025 festival featured over 50 artists, with the organisation reporting that approximately 42% of funded artists travel from marginalised communities and nearly 10% of its budget is invested in accessibility. NYWF serves a trans-Tasman audience of young writers across Australia and New Zealand, positioning itself as Australia's largest festival dedicated specifically to emerging writers.

Name

National Young Writers' Festival

Legal name

National Young Writers' Festival

Website

https://youngwritersfestival.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

National Young Writers' Festival is an Australian non-profit founded in 1998 that runs an annual free four-day literary festival in Newcastle, NSW for emerging writers aged 18-35, with hybrid digital programming and supporting programs for younger writers, funded by government grants and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Arts and Literary Festival

NAICS

Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers (71151), Fine Arts Schools (61161)

SIC

Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Theatre & Storytelling Festivals (MPAGAEAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Writing Retreats & Intensive Bootcamps (EDAMAMAK), Online & Hybrid Creative Writing Workshops (EDAMAMAL)

Keywords

• Literary festival programming
• Youth writing events
• Creative writing workshops
• Arts festival management
• Emerging writer programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Newcastle

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Government Arts Funding: NYWF receives core funding from Australian Government (Creative Australia), NSW Government (Create NSW), and the City of Newcastle. Additional support comes from Festivals Australia for the Younger Young Writers' Program. This is the primary funding mechanism enabling the festival's free programming.
2. Donations and Philanthropy: NYWF is a not-for-profit with DGR (deductible gift recipient) status and registered charity status. Individual donations are accepted (tax-deductible for donations over $2), with named donor tiers: Superhero ($500+), Side-kick ($350+), Wise mentor ($150+), Fanclub ($0.01+). Note: donations currently only accepted from NSW, VIC, SA, and ACT residents.
3. In-kind venue and media support: Venue partners (Newcastle City Library, Bernie's Bar, INNX, Earp Brothers Newcastle, Perry on Parry, YHA Newcastle Beach, The Press Book House) and media partner (Out Of The Square Media) provide in-kind support for festival delivery.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

NYWF produces an annual four-day literary festival in Newcastle, NSW for emerging writers aged 18-35, featuring panels, workshops, readings, performances, launches, zine-making, poetry slams, and interactive collaborative writing events. Since 2022, the festival operates a hybrid model combining in-person programming with digital live-streaming and on-demand access via the NYWF website and YouTube. It also runs the Younger Young Writers' Program (YYWP) for writers aged 13-17, an annual Zine Fair celebrating independent publishing, and an Incubator mentor program, all delivered free of charge to attendees.

Product overview

The National Young Writers' Festival is a single, unified annual festival product (not a software platform). It comprises the core four-day festival event alongside three supporting programs: the Younger Young Writers' Program (YYWP) for ages 13-17, the Zine Fair celebrating independent publishing, and the Incubator Program for mentor-mentee development. Since 2022, the festival operates a hybrid model combining in-person events in Newcastle, NSW with digital streaming via YouTube and on-demand access through the website. The core festival and all programs are free to attend.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• National Young Writers' Festival Annual four-day festival held in Newcastle, NSW featuring panels, workshops, readings, performances, launches, zine-making, poetry slams, and discussions for emerging writers aged 18-35. Free to attend; since 2022 runs as a hybrid model with both in-person and digital (live-streamed and on-demand) programming.
• Younger Young Writers' Program (YYWP) Outreach program for young writers aged 13-17, featuring workshops, mentorship from NYWF program mentors, and the production of a printed chapbook of participants' work. Includes a national roadshow and an October long weekend program. Free to participate.
• Zine Fair Community-oriented zine fair held as part of the annual NYWF festival, free to table and free to attend. Curated to celebrate independent publishing and zine culture.
• Incubator Program Mentorship program connecting experienced writers with mentees to support emerging writers' professional growth and creative practice.

Quantifiable outcome

• 42% of funded artists travel from marginalised communities
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered key, supporting and historical.

• Fremantle PresskeyGTM or Marketing PartnerFremantle Press is a publishing partner for the 2025 NYWF, collaborating on artist events including Act Cute with Andrew Sutherland. As a prominent independent Australian publisher, they support the festival's program and provide publishing industry credibility.
• The Suburban ReviewkeyGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Suburban Review is a publishing partner for the 2025 NYWF, co-presenting The Regional Review event. They are an independent literary publication that amplifies voices from outside metropolitan centres.
• Red Room PoetrykeyGTM or Marketing PartnerRed Room Poetry is a publishing partner for the 2025 NYWF, co-presenting the Future Laureates event. As Australia's leading poetry development organisation, they bring industry expertise and audience reach to the partnership.
• Newcastle City LibrarykeyGTM or Marketing PartnerNewcastle City Library (specifically the Lovett Gallery on Level 2) serves as a primary venue partner, hosting panel discussions and roundtables for the 2025 festival.
• Bernie's BarsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerNewcastle's only dedicated queer bar, Bernie's Bar is a venue partner for NYWF, hosting events like Queer Readings. The venue's LGBTQ+ community connections support the festival's inclusion values.
• INNXsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerINNX (61-63 Parry St, Newcastle West) is a creative venue partner providing space for workshops and festival events. It is a creative hub offering intimate cinema, podcast studio, and meeting spaces.
• Perry on ParrysupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerPerry on Parry (Studio One) is one of Newcastle's longest-established dance schools and serves as a venue partner, providing studio space for festival sessions.
• YHA Newcastle BeachsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerYHA Newcastle Beach is a venue partner providing space for festival events including the Opening Event at YHA Newcastle Beach, 30 Pacific Street.
• The Press Book HousesupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Press Book House (462 Hunter Street, Newcastle) is a venue partner combining a second-hand bookshop and coffee shop, hosting events like Chaotic Copy.
• Earp Brothers NewcastlesupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerEarp Brothers Newcastle (79-81 Parry Street, Newcastle West) is a venue partner, also hosting the Zine Fair on Sunday 5 October 2025.
• Out Of The Square MediakeyGTM or Marketing PartnerOut Of The Square Media is the official media partner for NYWF, providing media promotion and coverage to extend the festival's reach to broader audiences.
• OctapodhistoricalStrategic or Co-development PartnerOctapod is a Newcastle-based leading regional arts and cultural development organisation. Since NYWF's creation in 1998, it partnered with Octapod to present the festival as part of This is Not Art (TiNA). Since 2021, NYWF has presented independently.
• This is Not Art (TiNA)historicalStrategic or Co-development PartnerThis is Not Art (TiNA) is an experimental arts festival environment comprising three sub-festivals: Crack Theatre Festival, Critical Animals, and National Young Writers' Festival. NYWF was part of TiNA from 1998 to 2020.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Queensland Poetry Festival: Australian poetry-focused festival featuring performances, workshops, and slams. Comparable through its emphasis on poetry, spoken word, and emerging writers, though with a narrower poetry-centric focus than NYWF's broader writing remit.

Direct peers

• Express Media: Australian non-profit supporting young writers and media makers through programs, publications, and development opportunities. Closely comparable mission to NYWF's youth-writer development focus and historical institutional connection.
• Emerging Writers' Festival: Melbourne-based festival dedicated to emerging writers, with a similar age-band focus and workshop/panel format. The closest direct peer in mission and target demographic within Australia, operating at a smaller scale than NYWF.

Broad incumbents

• Melbourne Writers Festival: Major Australian literary festival held in Melbourne with broad programming for general audiences. Comparable as an Australian writers' festival with similar panel/workshop formats, but lacks NYWF's young-writer age specialization.
• Edinburgh International Book Festival: One of the world's largest literary festivals, held annually in Edinburgh with hundreds of author events. Comparable as a hybrid in-person/digital literary festival with a multi-format program, though at vastly greater scale and without youth age specialization.
• Sydney Writers' Festival: Australia's largest and most prestigious literary festival, held annually in Sydney. Comparable as a major Australian writers' festival serving broad audiences with panels, workshops, and author events, though targeting a general rather than youth-specific audience.
• National Book Festival (Library of Congress): Major annual U.S. literary festival hosted by the Library of Congress featuring authors, publishers, and workshops. Comparable as a large-scale free literary festival with government backing and a multi-format program.
• Adelaide Writers' Week: Long-running Australian literary festival held as part of the Adelaide Festival, featuring author talks and panels. Comparable as an established Australian literary festival with a similar free-to-attend model and broad program scope.
• Brisbane Writers Festival: Australian literary festival held in Brisbane with author panels, workshops, and youth programming. Comparable as an Australian writers' festival with similar format and a youth component, though at a broader audience scale.

Others

• This is Not Art (TiNA): Experimental Newcastle-based arts festival collective of which NYWF was part from 1998 to 2020. Direct historical peer and ecosystem partner, comparable through its experimental arts programming and Newcastle base.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/nationalyoungwritersfestival
• Instagraminstagram.com/nywf
• TikToktiktok.com/@nationalyoungwriters
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nywf

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about National Young Writers' Festival