In 2021, Writers SA has partnered with Varuna, the National Writers’ House, to offer two new writing residency and development fellowships for South Australian writers working in any genre or form. We have introduced the SA First Nations Writers Fellowship, alongside the SA Emerging Writers Fellowship (formerly the Young Writers Fellowship).

The SA First Nations Writers Fellowship is open to all Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander writers living in South Australia. Applications will be judged by Ali Cobby Eckermann and Dylan Coleman.

The SA Emerging Writers Fellowship is open to all writers living in South Australia who have yet to publish a full-length manuscript or collection. Applications will be judged by a panel of Writers SA staff, board and a South Australian Varuna alumnus.

Each residency is for one week (seven nights), and includes:

• a travel subsidy of $300
• a one-hour manuscript consultation with a professional writing mentor
• full board and accommodation, with a prepared evening meal, uninterrupted time to write in your own private studio, and the companionship of your fellow writers.

How to apply

Applications will open Monday 3 May, and must be submitted to [email protected] with the subject line ‘Writers SA Varuna Fellowship’ by 11:59pm Monday 28 June 2021. The successful recipients will be notified by October 2021.

These week-long residencies will take place at a time of the applicants’ choosing, between January and August 2022. There is no application fee, and no program fees apply. The two recipients will receive a $300 travel subsidy towards their travel expenses.

Selection Criteria:

Applications will be considered according to:

• the impact of the opportunity on the writer,
• the ambition and potential of the project, and
• the quality of the support material.

To apply:

Please submit a single PDF document containing the following materials to [email protected]:

• your contact details
• the fellowship for which you wish to be considered (SA Emerging Writers Fellowship and/or SA First Nations Writers Fellowship)
• a brief bio (max. 150 words)
• a statement addressing how the opportunity will benefit you (max. 250 words)
• a synopsis of your proposed project to be undertaken at Varuna (max. 1 page), and
• artistic support material (writing, illustrations, etc; max. 5 pages including links).

Terms and conditions
By entering this application process, you agree to the following terms and conditions:
1.  You must be a writer with a work in progress,
2. You must be a South Australian resident for at least 12 months,
3. You must be able to take up the residency between January and August 2022, and if circumstances beyond your control prevent you from attending, you must notify Writers SA of this immediately so another applicant can be offered the fellowship,
4. The final recipient will be chosen at the discretion of Writers SA and Varuna. The decision will be final and no discussion will be entered into with applicants or other Writers SA members.