Applications are now open for State Library Victoria’s major annual fellowships program, which encourages creative Australians to draw on the Library’s extensive collection for new work.

In 2019, the Library will offer a number of specialist fellowships to support and recognise the importance of scholarly endeavour in areas ranging from children’s literature and social history to visual arts, theatre, 19th century Victoria, photography and digital technology.

Three new fellowships will be offered in 2019 – the Photography Fellowship, the Regional Fellowship and the Tate Adams Memorial Residency.

Fellows receive a grant of $15,000 for three months’ research, a shared office space, and special access to collections and library experts.

This year’s fellowships program will deliver a total of 16 fellowships, collectively worth $210,000.

State Library Victoria CEO, Kate Torney, said the Library, together with the support of its partners, is proud to invest in the creative community through one of Australia’s largest fellowships programs.

“For the past 17 years, more than $2.5 million has been invested in fellows, giving them the opportunity to discover the endless potential of State Library Victoria’s collection. I am excited to find out what imaginative new work emerges from this year’s program.

“I invite creators working in any form – whether it’s visual arts, new media, dance, musical performance or composition – to apply for a fellowship and to be inspired by the Library’s vast collection,” said Ms Torney.

Past fellowships have produced major exhibitions, public art installations, documentaries, books, graphic novels, plays, musical scores, interactive games, web applications and many other creative projects.

2018 Fellows

Applications for the 2019 fellowships are now open and close on Sunday 28 April 2019.

Amor Residency at Baldessin Press & Studio

In association with Baldessin Press, the Amor Residency at St. Andrews is available to a visual artist wishing to explore works on paper, in particular printmaking. The offer may include accommodation, printmaking tuition/ technical support, materials or editioning to the sum of $5,000.

Children’s Literature Fellowship

A specialist fellowship for exploring children’s book publishing, writing or illustrating – early years, children and young adult fiction (0–18 years of age).

Creative Fellowships

Four fellowships are available to artists and scholars as individuals or collaborative partnerships for developing innovative ways to express the Library’s collections.

Digital Fellowship

This fellowship encourages creative technologists and digital humanists to work collaboratively with the Library in developing new and exciting ways to discover, view, experience and use the State Library Victoria collection.

Emerging Writer’s Fellowship

In association with the Emerging Writers’ Festival (EWF), this fellowship will see an emerging writer spend a month researching a project, immersing themselves in the Library’s collection as well as learning, developing and networking at the Emerging Writers’ Festival. The fellow will receive a $2,000 grant, flights to and from their home town, a golden ticket to EWF and home-stay accommodation for the duration of their time in Melbourne.

Georges Mora Fellowship

In association with the Georges Mora Foundation, Alliance Française de Melbourne and other partners, this fellowship gives one contemporary artist the opportunity to study, experiment and explore fresh thinking in their art.  The recipient is awarded $10,000 and given access to organisations and individuals with specialist knowledge to support the artist in their research.

Indigenous Victorian Aboriginal Cultural Research Fellowship

A specialist fellowship for researchers who identify as an Indigenous Victorian Aboriginal person. The fellowship aims to make knowledge about Victorian Aboriginal society and the Library’s collections more accessible to the Aboriginal community.

La Trobe Society Fellowship

The C J La Trobe Society Inc. awards a fellowship for the study of the colonial period of Victoria’s history during Charles Joseph La Trobe’s administration as Superintendent and Lieutenant-Governor (1839–1854). The research may be extended to cover the period immediately before La Trobe’s arrival, or the effects of his tenure after his departure from Victoria.

Photography Fellowship

In association with Photo2020, the inaugural Photography Fellowship is a unique opportunity for an artist to conduct innovative research in response to State Library Victoria’s photography collection and present the outcome at PHOTO 2020 International Festival of Photography.

Redmond Barry Fellowship

In association with the University of Melbourne, the Redmond Barry Fellowship is available to scholars and writers for the production of literary works. The fellow receives a grant of up to $20,000 for three to six months’ research.

Regional Fellowship

In association with Regional Arts Victoria, the inaugural Regional Fellowship is available to a regional Victorian to be inspired by, repurpose, transform or imaginatively respond to published or original source material, in any way they choose to create new work. 

Russell Beedles Performing Arts Fellowship

A specialist fellowship to utilise the Library’s collections on a project exploring theatre and performing arts in Victoria. The Fellowship is named in honour of Russell Beedles, the award-winning playwright, performer and teacher and has been supported by a generous donation from the Beedles family.

Tate Adams Memorial Residency

In conjunction with Baldessin Press & Studio and generously funded by Morag Fraser AM a specialist fellowship will be awarded to an artist to accomplish a limited edition or unique state artist’s book, using research from SLV and the studio facilities at Baldessin Press & Studio up to the value of $5,000. 

Recipients of the 2019 fellowships program will be announced in July 2019.

Find out more or apply today.


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