Varuna receives Western Sydney Strategic Partnerships funding

We were thrilled earlier in the year to be among the recipients of the latest round of Western Sydney Strategic Partnerships funding. The funding allows us to launch the Varuna Reading Room program with a bang, while also delivering a suite of new fellowships in partnership with fellow Western Sydney organisations.

This funding supports the events and workshops we’ve been rolling out over the last couple of months, as well as exciting yet-to-be-announced events and workshops in 2027.

New partnerships offer nearly 20 Western Sydney writers residencies at Varuna in 2027, and allow us to connect more deeply across the sector. These partner programs include:

• Sydney Review of Books Varuna Fellowship, providing a week in residence for six emerging critics in February 2027

• Bankstown Poetry Slam Varuna Fellowship, providing a week in residence for six poets in March 2027, with a workshop and event for local readers and writers.

• Sweatshop Varuna Fellowship, providing a week in residence for six writers in April 2027, with a workshop and event for local readers and writers.

• Additional Varuna Residential Fellowships for writers from Western Sydney, each of two weeks’ duration.

• Satellite events in partnership with Sydney Writers Festival in May 2027.

Activating a new creative space can be challenging, so this funding has come at the perfect time to allow us to try new things and connect with our community of readers and writers. Workshops will offer crucial professional development and networking opportunities, and our events will allow writers-in-residence to share their work and meet their readers.

This program is supported by the NSW Government through Create NSW, and also by our patron, David Hammon. We are very grateful to both!