$45,000 in Fellowships now available from the Copyright Agency Cultural Fund
February 6, 2019
The Copyright Agency’s Cultural Fund provides almost $2m in funding every year to support Australian creativity through our vibrant writing, publishing and visual arts sectors.
For the next month, the Cultural Fund is accepting applications for three highly valuable Fellowships – including a new one for teachers – and grants for emerging artists and writers.
Up for grabs is the new $15,000 Reading Australia Fellowship for Teachers of English and Literacy, two $15,000 Publisher Fellowships and IGNITE grants of up to $5000 each.
Each grant and fellowship offers support to Australians working in the writing, publishing, visual arts and education sectors to acquire knowledge through mentorships, internships, residencies and other professional development and leadership opportunities.
Fellowships for publishers and a teacher
In 2018, Director at Monash University Publishing, Nathan Hollier, received a Publisher Fellowship to research opportunities and obstacles to book publishing in key emerging markets across the Asia-Pacific, as well as to explore publishing partnerships within these nations.
He says, “It was very encouraging to me to have my project recognised as valuable by the Copyright Agency and my peers [on the judging panel]. The Fellowship has greatly broadened my knowledge of, and contacts within, the industry and the focus countries.”
Publisher Fellows submit a 5,000–10,000 word report upon completion of their Fellowship. A complete list of past recipients and reports is available here. The deadline for Publisher Fellowship applications is 1pm EST on 8 March 2019.
For the first time in 2019, the Copyright Agency is offering a $15,000 Reading Australia Fellowship for Teachers of English and Literacy. This Fellowship supports an experienced teacher to undertake professional development through a research project, which can be in Australia or overseas.
Applicants must include a brief summary of their intended project, including specific details about the location, planned meetings, and overall aims. Importantly, your application should clearly show how the research will benefit you and how will it benefit the Australian teaching community as a whole. We’ve put together our best tips to help you submit a winning application on time.
The deadline for Teacher Fellowship applications is 1pm EST on 1 March 2019.
Ignite your career
IGNITE Grants support career development for writers, publishers and visual artists. Past recipients have used their grants to attend prestigious international courses and residency programs at institutions such as the Yale School of Management and the Slade School of Art in London, as well as attending notable industry conferences and cultural exchange programs.
For example, in 2017, freelance journalist Bianca Nogrady used her IGNITE grant to attend the World Conference of Science Journalists in San Francisco, where she chaired a panel session on conflicts of interest for freelance science journalists.
She says, “I returned from the conference with a renewed sense of purpose, both for my own freelance career but also for my desire to support and promote science journalism in Australia. With so few science journalists practising in Australia at the moment, opportunities to engage in discussions and debate about the profession are few and far between … the conference exceeded my hopes and expectations on all counts.”
IGNITE Grants can be used for living expenses, travel and accommodation costs, and for payments to mentors or for professional development workshop costs. Further details on the types of activities supported can be found here. The deadline for IGNITE applications is 1pm EST on 8 March 2019.
The Cultural Fund offers multiple rounds of grants throughout the year. CREATE Grants for established authors and artists close in August.