Three publishing professionals awarded 2026 Cultural Fund Fellowships
July 22, 2026
Copyright Agency’s Cultural Fund has awarded Publishing Fellowships to support three projects that address important career development opportunities to benefit Australian publishers.
The Publishing Fellowships support mid-career professionals to strengthen their skills and knowledge through self-directed projects that contribute to their career development as well as to the broader Australian publishing industry. Recipients can receive up to $15,000 to undertake industry research, mentorship, skills development or market exploration.
Alisa Ahmed: First Nations editorial fellowship with Magabala Books
Alisa Ahmed, Managing Editor at Hardie Grant, will undertake an extended editorial fellowship with Magabala Books and publisher Rachel Bin Salleh OAM.
Through online mentorship and immersive placements with the Magabala team in Perth and Broome, Alisa will deepen her editorial and commissioning skills through a First Nations lens. Her project will explore culturally safe editorial practices, approaches to supporting First Nations authors and ways to balance the cultural integrity and commercial potential of First Nations stories.
Alisa plans to apply and share her learnings through her work at Hardie Grant, its Reconciliation Action Plan Committee, the Australian Publishers Association Editorial Working Group and other industry development programs.
“Receiving the Cultural Fund Publishing Fellowship is an incredible honour. As an industry, we need to be working towards a more inclusive and diverse publishing landscape and there is essential work to be done to train more First Nations editors and encourage the development of First Nations writers’ careers. Magabala Books have an inclusive editorial and publishing strategy in which the championing of First Nations writers is embedded in everything they do. I have so much to learn from Rachel Bin Salleh and the wider Magabala team – I hope I will become a better mentor for First Nations editors, improve my editorial support for First Nations creators and develop a commissioning approach that upholds both the cultural and commercial components of First Nations stories. This work would not be possible without this Fellowship so I am very grateful for the opportunity to learn and grow personally and professionally, and to contribute to a larger change within the industry.”
Alex Creece: Australian poetry in the international UNESCO landscape
Alex Creece, Managing Editor of Cordite Poetry Review, will travel to Scotland to attend the StAnza International Poetry Festival and its industry summit, Common Verse: Poetry Across Sectors.
Alex will meet poets, publishers, programmers and other arts professionals to explore opportunities for international collaboration and knowledge exchange. The project will examine how literary organisations and festivals build audiences, manage resources and maintain resilience, while strengthening connections between Melbourne and other UNESCO Cities of Literature.
Alex also plans to promote Australian poetry and independent publishing internationally and bring new contacts, ideas and programming insights back to Australian literary organisations and communities.
“I am beyond thrilled and immensely grateful to be awarded a Copyright Agency Publishing Fellowship. I’ll be visiting bonny Scotland to attend the StAnza International Poetry Festival and industry summit, strengthening supportive and cross-collaborative relationships and knowledge exchange within the literary sector. As a disabled regional editor, I am honoured to receive this rare opportunity to represent OzPoetry in Edinburgh and to bring my learnings back to our local arts ecosystems and communities. Thank you, Copyright Agency!”
Olivia Whenman: trauma-informed audiobook publishing
Olivia Whenman, Digital Business Manager at Pan Macmillan Australia, will research a trauma-informed best practice framework for audiobook publishing.
Her project responds to the complex demands placed on authors, narrators and production teams when recording sensitive or deeply personal material. Olivia will survey current practices across audio publishing, undertake professional development with the Blue Knot Foundation and consult with researcher and organisational coach Dr Ruth De Souza.
She will also attend the 2026 Oral History Australia Biennial Conference to explore how related fields are approaching authenticity, psychological safety and human-centred storytelling as AI and other technologies reshape the creative landscape.
The project will culminate in the development and testing of practical guidelines and workflows designed to reduce the risks of vicarious trauma, burnout and re-traumatisation while supporting culturally safe and commercially sustainable audiobook production.
“With technology rapidly shifting the publishing landscape, the cultural and creative value of human narration is stronger than ever. This Fellowship will allow me to research and build a sustainable, supportive standard for diversity and inclusion in audiobook production, protecting the storytellers and teams who bring these complex stories to life.”
Together, the projects demonstrate the breadth of expertise within Australian publishing and the value of investing in career development that can create lasting benefits across the industry.
Explore other fellowships and grant opportunities available through Copyright Agency’s Cultural Fund. We’re proud to be supporting career development, new creative work and projects that strengthen Australia’s writing, publishing and visual arts sectors.
Visit the Cultural Fund webpage to learn more about current and upcoming opportunities.