First speakers for All About Women 2026 announced

Sydney — Tuesday 2 December 2025

A former Prime Minister, two acclaimed international authors and one of Britain’s most influential journalists will lead the line-up for the Sydney Opera House’s 14th All About Women festival, coinciding with International Women’s Day 2026 next Sunday 8 March. 

An annual takeover of the Opera House, All About Women transforms the precinct into a buzzing hub of conversations, panels and workshops exploring pressing questions on gender, justice and equality. The first events for the 2026 festival feature:

• Former Prime Minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern (she/her), fresh from the 2025 release of her documentary and internationally bestselling memoir, on redefining leadership and the future for women in power;
• Award-winning British author Zadie Smith (she/her) unpacking today’s cultural chaos with her trademark intellect and brutal precision – from politics on both sides of the Atlantic to cinema, galleries and Glastonbury – and her newly published collection of essays Dead and Alive;
• The journalist who conducted that now-infamous interview with Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, Emily Maitlis (she/her). The former face of BBC Newsnight and now host of the hit podcast The News Agents will explore the critical role of journalism in seeking justice and holding power to account, drawing on her experiences with presidents, prime ministers and royalty; and
• Acclaimed Moroccan-American novelist and essayist Laila Lalami (she/her) about her body of work, latest release The Dream Hotel, and identity, belonging and freedom at the intersection of gender, religion and race.

This year’s festival is programmed by the Opera House’s Head of Talks & Ideas Chip Rolley (he/him), Director of Programming Brenna Hobson (she/her) and Senior Producer Fleur Mitchell (she/her).

“Our curatorial team has pulled together an extraordinary line-up for the fourteenth All About Women. These first four speakers demonstrate the program’s prodigious range, with literary powerhouse Zadie Smith, who always shows us our world in a new way; former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, who gives us new ways to wield power; journalist Emily Maitlis, who fearlessly holds power to account; and author Laila Lalami, who offers unparalleled insight into the immigrant experience in the US," said Sydney Opera House Head of Talks & Ideas, Chip Rolley.

The full program of inspiring international and Australian artists, thinkers and storytellers for All About Women 2026 will be announced in January.