The Writing NSW Varuna Fellowships are awarded annually to writers who have a work of fiction, creative non-fiction, a play, or a suite of poems that is ready for the next stage of development. In 2022, two fellowships were available, with one place reserved for a writer under the age of 30.
Writing NSW is delighted to announce its 2022 Varuna fellowships have been awarded to Lucy Nelson and Hajer Al-awsi. View the full announcement here.
Previous recipients include Cleo Mees, Jordan Shea, Kylie Boltin, Eleanor Kirk, Kaya Wilson, Winnie Dunn, Tanya Vavilova, Karina Young, Adele Dumont, Christopher McDonald, Irma Gold, Alex Chalwell, Mark Brandi, Jacqui Dent, Helen Thurloe, Lucie Stevens, Alison Thompson and Greg Woodland.
2022 Varuna Fellowship Judges
Jazz Money is a Wiradjuri poet and artist currently based on Gadigal land in Sydney, Australia. Her practice is centred around story and narrative, producing works that encompass installation, digital, film and print. Their debut poetry collection how to make a basket (UQP, 2021), was winner of the 2020 David Unaipon Award.
Vanessa Radnidge began her publishing career at the Law Book Company. She worked at HarperCollins as an editor and acquisitions editor before joining Hachette Australia 15 years ago. Vanessa is the head of narrative non-fiction and head of literary at Hachette. Her passion is for connecting great storytellers and great stories with readers.
Amy Lovat is the Professional Development Officer at Writing NSW. She is also a writer, editor, and the founder of Secret Book Stuff. She has a PhD in English and Writing from the University of Newcastle and lives with her partner Laura, two dogs, a bird, and thousands of books across unceded Awabakal and Gadigal Country in NSW, Australia. Her first novel will be published by Pan Macmillan in 2023.
View the winners of the 2021 Varuna Fellowships here.
Want to learn more about the fellowship? Read Mark Brandi‘s five favourite things about his time at Varuna here. Adele Dumont gives us a sneak-peek at her journal entries during her residency here, and Kaya Wilson walks us through his residency week here.