Since 2017, the Neilma Sidney Literary Travel fund has provided access to professional development for emerging, mid-career and established Australian writers and literary sector workers.
On behalf of the Myer Foundation, this round’s judges and Writers Victoria, we are thrilled to announce the Round 10 travel fund recipients. We also acknowledge the generosity of The Malcolm Robertson Foundation for providing additional funding.
The judges for Round 10 were writer and librarian Özge Sevindik (VIC), writer and editor Jasmin McGaughey (QLD) and bookseller and advocate Jing Xuan Teo (VIC). The judges were impressed by the wide variety of projects happening both domestically and internationally.
The judges also appreciated the wide range of applications from both writers and industry professionals. This round was the second and final round of 2023, with 142 people applying for $997,608 in funding. After much deliberation, the judges awarded $69,761 to nine recipients.
Congratulations to:
- Writer, director and content creator Alana Hicks (NSW) — awarded funding to travel to Papua New Guinea for self-hosted residency to develop novel ‘Home is a Foreign Country’
- Poet Alison J Barton (VIC) — awarded funding to travel to Germany to attend residencies, as well as conduct research and writing towards full-length collection of poetry titled ‘Reise’.
- Writer and librarian Ana Brawls (WA) — awarded funding to travel to Brazil to research historical and modern aspects of slavery in Brazil for literary work development.
- Writer, speaker, trainer and appearance activist Carly Findlay (VIC) — awarded funding to travel to South Africa to explore mother country and conduct research, as well as connect with key writing community contacts and Human Rights activists.
- Essayist and critic Eda Gunaydin (NSW) — awarded funding to travel to the United States to conduct a research trip towards manuscript and second essay collection.
- Writer Emily Bitto (VIC) — awarded funding to travel to Slovakia and the Czech Republic to carry out research for a third novel, based on her father’s life.
- Storyteller Meleika / vika mana (QLD) — awarded funding to travel Strait Back Home to tell Stories.
- Writer, editor, programmer, organiser and novice filmmaker Muhib Nabulsi (VIC) — awarded funding to travel to Qatar and Jordan for a research trip to develop essays towards a debut essay collection.
- Bookseller Tim White (VIC) — awarded funding to travel to The Netherlands to attend the 2024 ILAB Congress, the 2024 Amsterdam Bookfair, the 2024 Frankfurt Bookfair, as well as network and connect with European counterparts in the antiquarian book trade community.
To read more about the Neilma Sidney Literary Travel Fund, including previous rounds and recipients, visit this page.