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black&write! Writing Fellowships
2025 shortlist announced!
Scroll down to see our six shortlisted writers.
Each year black&write! offers two Fellowships for First Nations writers, awarded through an unpublished manuscript competition open to any First Nations writer currently living in Australia.
Two winners will each receive $15,000 prize money, editorial development with the black&write! team, and a publication opportunity with University of Queensland Press.
The black&write! Fellowship recipients will be announced on Tuesday 20 May at State Library of Queensland. Book your free spot in the audience here.
Joyrah Sebasio (Qld) for 'Letters to Live By'
Joyrah Sebasio is a Bamaga woman who loves writing in Kala Lagaw Ya with her cultural parents Ama Matilda Bani, Awa Brian Whap and Nanu Kuthayg Sani Tamwoy. Joyrah’s existence and Creation stories are woven into Kala Lagaw Ya from Panay & Maydh on Mabuyag and Badu in Zenadth Kes. Joyrah is a young poet led by the footsteps of other renowned poets, authors, songwriters and knowledge holders from Injinoo, Cape York, and Tamwoy Town, Waibene.
'Letters to Live By' is a poetry collection.
Angelina Hurley (Qld) for 'Black Beatles'
Angelina Hurley is a First Nations academic and creative writer who works in Indigenous Arts and Education. She has held key research roles as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Griffith University’s Creative Arts Research Institute, and currently is a Research Fellow at RMIT. A Fulbright Indigenous Scholar at NYU, her doctoral work Reconciliation Rescue: Blak Comedy and Aboriginal Cultural Perspectives on Humour focuses on Aboriginal humour, storytelling, and fostering understanding through creative and cultural practices.
'Black Beatles' is an adult novel.
Scott Wilson (WA) for 'Dampa for Grampa'
Scott Wilson is a proud Gooniyandi man from Muladja community and Gajerrong man from Kununurra, raised on Yawuru/Djugun Country in Broome, Western Australia. Scott is currently the co-founder and managing director of three visionary companies, one of which is the INDIGIVERSE, Australia’s first First Nations superhero comic and educational platform. Recently, he became the first First Nations creator to be featured as a VIP guest at major comic conventions across Australia. Scott continues to break new ground, sharing his culture and creativity with audiences nationwide and beyond.
'Dampa for Grampa' is a children's book.
Mariah Sweetman (Qld) for 'Black and White'
Mariah Sweetman is a proud descendant of the Ugarapul people, living and creating on Gubbi Gubbi land with her family. She loves to create with words and paint and she’s been telling stories since childhood. Mariah is passionate about people, young and old, engaging with Indigenous histories and stories.
'Black and White' is an adult fiction novel.
K.A. Ren Wyld (SA) for 'Whichway Shimmering Dust'
K.A Ren Wyld is an author of Martu descent who lives by the sea on Kaurna Yerta. Ren has written narrative nonfiction, short stories, children’s nonfiction, and poetry. They co-edited the 2024 anthology The Rocks Remain: Blak Poetry and Story. Their novel Where the Fruit Falls won the 2020 Dorothy Hewett Award. Other literary awards include 2024 SA Literary First Nations Fellowship and 2022 Tangkanungku Pintyanthi Literature Fellowship.
'Whichway Shimmering Dust' is an adult novel.
Marilyn 'Marly' Hooper (Qld) for 'Moodu-gutta Will Get Ya'
Marilyn ‘Marly’ Hooper is a proud Kooma/Kunja woman from Cunnamulla, Southwest Queensland. She works at Leichhardt State School as Indigenous Community Coordinator. Marly is passionate about art, culture, and language, and is instrumental in introducing local Language into local schools. Her children’s book ‘Moodu-gutta Will Get Ya’ celebrates water and cultural teachings, inspired by joyful memories with her grandmothers and family. Marly’s work reflects her deep love for culture and strong matriarchal traditions.
'Moodu-gutta Will Get Ya' is a children's book.
black&write! is supported by the Copyright Agency's Cultural Fund and the Australian Government through Creative Australia, its principal arts investment and advisory body. We are proud to work with University of Queensland Press as the black&write! Fellowship publishing partner.
