Projects Supported – Fellowships

Bri Hassett, a teacher at Gippsland Grammar in regional Victoria, will be helping students understand the value of writing in an age when AI can generate text in seconds, through her project ‘Writerly Reading: Developing Authentic Australian Student Voices in the Age of AI.’ Through classroom-based research with students in Years 7–10, Bri will develop and trial a unit of work that explores how Australian authors craft meaning, why they write, and how students can develop authentic voices of their own. The project will include interviews with authors and will result in a classroom-ready resource that teachers can use immediately.

Alisa Ahmed, Managing Editor, Hardie Grant

Alisa will embark on a First Nations editorial fellowship with Magabala Books through online and in person mentorship with publisher Rachel Bin Salleh and immersion with the Magabala team. Alisa is aiming to heighten editorial and commissioning skills through a First Nations lens to prioritise cultural safety in editorial and publishing practice, and by doing so improve her editorial support for First Nations creators and develop a commissioning approach that upholds both the cultural and commercial components of First Nations stories.

Alex Creece, Managing Editor, Cordite Poetry Review

Alex will explore Australian poetry in the international UNESCO landscape by attending the StAnza International Poetry Festival and industry summit, strengthening supportive and cross-collaborative relationships and knowledge exchange within the literary sector. Additional exploratory market visits with an emphasis on building connections with publishing professionals, programmers and other arts workers to create networks and help understand the similarities, differences, strengths and challenges of our sector.

Olivia Whenman, Digital Business Manager, Pan Macmillan Australia

Olivia’s project, researching a trauma-informed best practice framework for audiobook publishing, received support to provide evidence-based, clinical foundation and skills for actionable guidelines and workflows to better safeguard publishing teams, authors and storytellers. Olivia will build her clinical knowledge and understanding of trauma by surveying current practices in audio publishing; train with the Blue Knot Foundation (National Centre of Excellence for Complex Trauma); and attend the 2026 Oral History Australia Biennial Conference ‘Human voices, modern technology: Oral history & authenticity’ in December, to understand how adjacent fields are navigating similar challenges alongside the rise of AI.

Click below to see successful applicants we’ve supported in previous years.

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