Arts NT Varuna Fellowships are now open!
Six two-week fellowships are available for writers living in the Northern Territory, with travel stipend and one-on-one mentoring.
Presented in partnership with the Northern Territory Government through Arts NT, six residential fellowships are available to writers living in the Northern Territory, to be taken between September 2025 – December 2026. Participants will be selected from across the Territory, and at least one fellowship place will be reserved for a First Nations writer or illustrator.
Residential fellowships include:
-
A two-week residency at Varuna, with full board and accommodation including a prepared evening meal.
-
Uninterrupted time to write in your own private studio, and the companionship of your fellow writers.
-
$1,500 towards expenses, including travel, manuscript consultations, or accommodation in Sydney on the way through to the Blue Mountains. Each writer is able to use this expenses budget to fit their individual needs.
For more information about staying at Varuna, visit our Residencies page.
Artistic merit is the most important criterion for our assessors, who, depending on genre, are looking for sound structure, compelling themes, a distinctive and engaging voice, vivid imagery, strongly written characters, social and cultural relevance, and/or the work’s capacity to connect with readers. Our assessors also consider the potential of your manuscript, based on the experience of the writer and their work plan.
Arts NT funding will also provide for three writers to participate in one of our celebrated online masterclasses with their fees fully subsidised. Further information is below.