ur bs . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 8 , ▁Marie ke ▁Hard y ▁was ▁appointed ▁Art istic ▁Director ▁for ▁a ▁three - year ▁term . ▁Hard y ' s ▁approach ▁to ▁programming ▁was ▁to ▁turn ▁the ▁traditional ▁book ▁festival ▁on ▁its ▁head , ▁present ing ▁story t elling ▁through ▁theatre , ▁song writing ▁and ▁performance . ▁Hard y ' s ▁first ▁year ▁saw ▁M WF ' s ▁largest ▁box ▁office ▁results ▁in ▁its ▁history . ▁▁▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 9 , ▁M WF ▁signed ▁a ▁partners hip ▁with ▁the ▁State ▁Library ▁of ▁Victoria ▁to ▁create ▁a ▁new ▁home ▁and ▁literary ▁prec inct ▁around ▁the ▁Sw an ston ▁Street ▁area ▁of ▁the ▁Library . ▁▁ ▁Program ▁ ▁Over ▁the ▁years , ▁M WF ▁has ▁included ▁many ▁different ▁programming ▁streams . ▁Below ▁is ▁a ▁selection ▁of ▁these : Ke yn otes ▁High - profile ▁writers ▁and ▁intellect uals ▁from ▁across ▁the ▁world ▁come ▁to ▁Melbourne ▁to ▁share ▁thought - prov oking ▁ins ights . ▁Pre vious ▁speak ers ▁have ▁included ▁Richard ▁Fl an agan , ▁Ger ma ine ▁Gre er , ▁Robert ▁D essa ix ▁and ▁Simon ▁Call ow . Art ▁and ▁Design ▁M WF ▁features ▁numerous ▁artists , ▁including ▁book ▁ill ust rat ors ▁such ▁as ▁Sh a un ▁Tan , ▁and ▁cart oon ists ▁such ▁as ▁New ▁York er ▁Ro z ▁Ch ast . ▁Each ▁day ▁of ▁the ▁Festival , ▁an ▁artist ▁in ▁residence ▁can ▁be ▁observed ▁working ▁in ▁Federation ▁Square . Big ▁Ide as ▁A ▁series ▁that ▁brings