Literature
The Australia Council supports Australian literature through the literature board, theatre board and market development section.
In 2006-07, we invested more than $7.8 million for literature overall, including more than $4.3 million through the literature board. This support takes the form of grants to individual literary creators, financial and operational support to organisations that provide infrastructure for the sector, market and audience development initiatives and strategic initiatives to build capacity across the sector.
The literature board only supports writing in fiction, literary non-fiction, children’s and young adult writing, poetry and creative writing for performance or new media.
Grants
New work
Literature board
Applications close: 15 May 2008
Amount:
$5000, $10,000 or $15,000 for emerging writers
$10,000, $15,000 or $25,000 for developing writers
$20,000 or $30,000 per year for up to two years for established writers
New work grants help Australian writers and book illustrators to create new works. The grants support living allowances, assistance with travel and/or research costs associated with the work. Grants are offered to emerging, developing and established writers.
Publishing and promotion
Literature board
Applications close: 15 March and 1 October 2008
Publishing and promotion grants support activities that foster greater awareness and appreciation of Australian creative writing. They are open only to organisations. Australian publishers can apply for subsidies for up to seven titles of $4000 per fiction or non-fiction title, $2000 per script, and $2500 per poetry title. Australian publishers can also apply for funding to reprint classic works by Australian writers. International publishers can apply for up to $10,000 per title for translation and production of works by living Australian writers into other languages or $4000 per title for works in English. Australian literary magazines can apply for funding for writers’ fees and production costs for issues during the year. Australian and international organisations can apply for support for expenses for Australian writers to participate in literary festivals, conferences and other promotional activities, excluding author tours and academic conferences.
Residencies
Literature board
Applications close: 15 March 2008
Amount: up to $16,000
Studio residencies provide individual writers with a supportive environment for professional development, research and creative risktaking. Two six-month residencies are available at both the Keesing Studio in Paris and the BR Whiting Library in Rome, providing up to $16,000 for living and travel expenses. One three-month or two six-week residencies are available at the Tyrone Guthrie Centre in Ireland, with full board and up to $4000 for travel expenses. One two-month residency is also available at Ledig House at the Art Omni International Arts Centre in the USA, with full board and up to $4000 for travel expenses. Writers can also apply for self-organised studio residencies in Australia or overseas that allow them the time and space to write.
Fellowships
Literature board
Applications close: 15 May 2008
Amount: $100,000 over two years
Two-year fellowship grants support highly accomplished writers with financial assistance to create new works. Writers should have a minimum of five major works published or performed and have had substantial critical recognition.
Writers’ emeritus award
Literature board
Nominations close: 15 May 2008
Amount: $50,000
The writers’ emeritus award recognises the achievements of eminent literary writers over the age of 65 who have made an outstanding and lifelong contribution to Australian literature. Writers who have produced critically acclaimed works over their lifetime, and have an income of less than $40,000 per year are eligible for nomination.
Program
Literature board
Applications close: 1 October 2008
One-year program grants provide funding for established print and online magazines that support the work and professional development of Australian writers and advance Australian literature. Magazines must have a minimum paid circulation of 500 copies per issue or 1000 unique page views per month. To be eligible, they must have received presentation and promotion grants for at least the past three years.
Key organisations – multi-year
Literature board
Applications close: 15 June 2008
Key organisations – multi-year grants support organisations that contribute to the infrastructure underpinning the work and professional development of Australian writers and advancing Australian literature. This includes state writers’ centres and leading professional writers’ organisations. Only organisations already receiving triennial grants funding can apply in 2008.
Initiatives
Beatrice Davis editorial fellowship
Literature board
Managed by the Australian Publishers Association
The biennial Beatrice Davis editorial fellowship enables a three-month placement in US publishing houses by an experienced Australian editor. The fellowship is open to editors with more than five years’ publishing experience. It will be offered next in 2009.
Big Book Club/Little Big Book Club
Market development section
The Big Book Club is a program to promote reading and the discussion of books. It takes a selected book and holds statewide author tours each month. It operates currently in
Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia. Its younger cousin, the Little Big Book Club, is for parents of children under the age of five, encouraging them to read to their children. Visit www.thebigbookclub.com.au/ for more information.
Books Alive
Market development section
August 2008
Books Alive is Australia’s largest promotion of books and reading. The month-long campaign features a ‘great read guide’ with 50 titles, a giveaway book title, TV advertising and local bookseller initiatives. A panel of industry experts chooses the 50 titles in the ‘great read guide’. Books Alive is an Australian Government initiative. Visit www.booksalive.com.au/ for more information.
Languages other than English publishing (LOTE) initiative
Literature board
Applications close: 26 September 2008
Amount: up to $15,000
This initiative supports the translation and publication of works by authors writing in languages other than English. We invite applications from Australian publishers for assistance with writer’s fees, translator’s fees and some production costs.
Literature international market development
Market development section
The Australia Council manages a range of international market development activities to help take Australian literature overseas. This includes support for Australian authors,
publishers and agents to participate in international book fairs and literary festivals.
Residential editorial program 2008
Literature board
Managed by the Australian Publishers Association
May 2008
The residential editorial program is a six-day intensive retreat for 12 mid-career editors, held every two years at Varuna, The Writers’ House in Katoomba NSW. The next residential will be in May 2008. It is managed in partnership with the publishing industry.
Story of the future
Literature board, Australian Film Television and Radio School
The story of the future initiative assists Australian writers to create narrative content for new technology platforms. To date, the program has included seminars on digital writing and publishing featuring leading international and local experts, project development workshops and residential labs, and industry linkages and networks.
Visiting International Publishers
Market development section
March 2009
The Visiting International Publishers (VIP) program brings a delegation of leading international publishers and literary scouts to Australia to coincide with a major Australian literary festival. The international publishers participate in meetings with local publishers and agents, and discussion panels. In 2008, the VIP program will be held during Adelaide Writers’ Week (2-7 March). Participants in the 2009 program will be announced in late 2008.
Write in your face
Literature board
Applications close: 1 February 2008
Amount: up to $8000
The write in your face initiative assists young and emerging writers who use language in innovative ways. Writers aged 30 and under who work across media such as zines, comics, new technology platforms and live performance are invited to apply. Write in your face is an Australian Government initiative.