The Neilma Sidney Literary Travel Fund

The Neilma Sidney Myer Travel Fund recognises the unique value of travel in the development of writing and literary careers.

In partnership with the Myer Foundation, the Travel Fund supports emerging, midcareer, and established Australian writers and literary sector workers in pursuing professional development opportunities. This includes writers, editors, agents, publishers, librarians, booksellers, employees and associates of literary organisations and journals, and other literary professionals currently living in Australia.

Applicants can apply for grants between $2,000 and $10,000. These grants support professional development through travel.

The Travel Fund was launched in 2017 and was named in honour of poet, novelist and short story writer Neilma Gantner (1922-2015).

Application kit

Key Dates

Round 6

Round 6 was postponed in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic; you can find more information in this statement. We are now pleased to be opening applications in April 2021, for projects that will occur between July 2021 and June 2022.

However, we continue to take COVID-19 and community safety seriously. Round 6 invites applications for projects that focus on domestic travel opportunities, conducting research and professional development within Australia. We will still consider applications that include international travel, but we recommend that the project outline demonstrate why it is necessary for the applicant's work that they travel overseas at this time. All Neilma Sidney Travel Fund recipients will be expected to follow public health restrictions in pursuing their projects. 

• Applications open: Thursday 1 April 2021, 9am (AEDT)
• Applications close: Tuesday 4 May 2021, 4pm (AEDT)
• Applicants notified: June 2021
• Travel activities: Must take place between 1 July 2021 - 30 June 2022 (dates inclusive)

To Apply

Applications are to be made through this online Submittable form (live from 1 April). 

Please download and read the application kit before preparing your application. It would also be beneficial to read what we learned from previous rounds, go through the FAQs and T&Cs, and watch the online Q&A video to answer any fund and application questions.

For more information, email us.

Previous recipients

Round 1

Alexandra Collier, Andrew Bovell, Arwen Summers, Bren MacDibble, Eda Gunaydin, Mark O'Flynn, Michael Earp, Michael Green, Robert Dessaix, Vanessa Russell.

Round 2

Bruce Pascoe, Chris Andrews, Damon Young, Ellen van Neerven, Emma Viskic, Janine Mikosza, Jennifer Porter, Jessica Friedmann, Laura Woollett, Louis Klee, Melinda Smith, Rebecca Giggs, Sam Cooney.

Round 3

Allison Colpoys, Cassandra Pybus, Christine Sun, Eleanor Limprecht, Josephine Wilson, Katherine Collette, Lauren Chater, Sam Twyford-Moore, Tom Holloway.

Round 4

Annabel Brady-Brown, Cher Tan, Ellen O'Brien, Fiona Murphy, Heather Dyer, Melanie Joosten, Oliver Reeson, Sara Mansour, Sista Zai Zanda, Susie Anderson, Yvette Holt. 

Round 5

Cate Kennedy, Evelyn Araluen and Jonathan Dunk, Fiona Hardy, Madelaine Dickie, Maria Takolander, Mirandi Riwoe, Robert Lukins, Ruhi Lee, Sara Saleh, Tamara Lazaroff.