Writers SA Fellowships
Writers SA offers two-week residencies at Varuna, open to all writers living in South Australia who are current Writers SA members and have a work in progress.
Applications close: midnight (ACST) 12 April 2026
Places: Two writers will be selected
Who should apply: Applicants must be Writers SA members and currently living in South Australia
Dates: The fellowship can be taken between July-December 2026, with exact dates negotiated directly with Varuna, the Writers’ House, according to Varuna’s existing schedule.
Fees: There is no application fee, and no program fees apply. Eligible applicants for Varuna’s Equity Fund will receive $350 travel subsidies towards travel expenses.
ABOUT THIS FELLOWSHIP
In partnership with Writers SA, two Fellowships are offered for South Australian writers working in any genre or form, living in South Australia who are current Writers SA members and who have yet to publish more than two full-length manuscripts or collections.
Applications will be judged by a panel of Writers SA staff, board and a South Australian Varuna alumnus.
The Fellowships include:
two weeks residency at Varuna, the National Writers’ House, including all food and a prepared evening meal, with uninterrupted time to write in your own private studio, and the companionship of your fellow writers
a one-hour consultation session with one of Varuna’s writing consultants during residency
A travel subsidy of $350 is also available for applicants who are eligible for the Varuna Equity Access Fund
To learn more about joining Writers SA, please click here.
For more information about staying at Varuna, visit our Residencies page.
HOW TO APPLY
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.
You will require the following materials:
your contact details
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 PDF or Word doc), and
artistic support material (writing, illustrations, etc; max. 5 pages including links in a PDF or Word doc).
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
By entering this application process, you agree to the following terms and conditions:
You must be a writer with a work in progress
You must be a South Australian resident for at least 12 months
You must be a current financial Writers SA member
You must be able to take up the residency between July and December 2026, and if circumstances beyond your control prevent you from attending, you must notify Writers SA of this immediately
The recipients 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. Stay dates are to be negotiated with Varuna.
If you have any questions please email info@writerssa.org.au
UPCOMING FELLOWSHIPS, COURSES AND EVENTS
