Author Fellowship

Author Fellowship

The Copyright Agency’s Author Fellowship will support an established Australian author to create a new work for publication or performance and is open to novelists, playwrights, poets, children’s and young adult writers, picture book illustrators and journalists.

The Fellowship will provide sustained support for a year to one Australian author to create a significant new work (or a series of books if writing for children and young adults). Applicants should submit a compelling and detailed description of their project accompanied by a writing sample to demonstrate their literary merit.

Non-fiction writers should apply for the Copyright Agency’s Fellowship for Non-Fiction Writing.

This Fellowship will not replace any advance offered under the usual terms of a publishing contract.

The Fellowship is not intended to support the creation of work for an academic or scholarly purpose and readership.

ABOUT THE FELLOWSHIP

One Fellowship will be awarded each year. As the Fellowship is intended to support one writer, joint applications are not eligible.

Projects must start after 1 November 2025. The project should span up to 12 months. A project of one or two months is not regarded as a substantial Fellowship activity.

Projects not supported

Please refer to activities not supported for a detailed list of what the Cultural Fund does not support.

Amount of grant: $80,000

WHO CAN APPLY 

To be eligible to apply for this grant, applicants must meet the following eligibility requirements:

• Have previously published/performed at least five full-length works of their own creative writing (of which two books may be self-published)
• Secured either a publishing contract for the work or a letter of interest or intent to publish from an Australian-based publisher/theatre company
• Authors must submit their own applications. Publishers cannot apply on behalf of authors.
• Be an Australian citizen or permanent resident
• Any overdue Cultural Fund grants must be acquitted

HOW TO APPLY

• Applications must be submitted by the closing date via the SmartyGrants online system
• Applicants may submit only one application per round to the Cultural Fund
• Incomplete or late applications will not be considered

YOUR APPLICATION

More information and contact

For further information, see our Frequently Asked Questions.

Please contact us before the application closing date if you’re unsure about your eligibility to apply for a Fellowship. Our email is culturalfund@copyright.com.au.