$45,000 launching pad for new talent – the Balnaves Fellowship at Belvoir

Belvoir is now accepting entries for the 2025 Balnaves Foundation Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Artist Fellowship. The Balnaves Fellowship is a $45,000 paid residency which provides the opportunity to work at Belvoir as a resident artist to create a work for the stage.

The Fellowship will see the winner given the opportunity to work at Belvoir over an 18-month period in 2025/26 as a resident artist and receive $45,000 to create their new work. The Fellowship is open to both playwrights to write a new play and to directors or writer/directors that can lead the creation of an Indigenous led new stage work, whether that be a new play, an adaptation or through a devised process. It also includes an invitation to have a voice in Belvoir’s artistic decision-making processes.

From its origins as The Balnaves Foundation Indigenous Playwright Award, The Balnaves Foundation Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Fellowship is recognised as one of the most prestigious awards in Australia, attracting entrants of the highest calibre. Previous recipients (including Leah Purcell, Nakkiah Lui, Thomas Weatherall and Nathan Maynard) have submitted exceptional works that consistently affirm the depth of talent amongst our nation’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander theatre-makers, whilst bringing extraordinary works to the Belvoir stage.

2024 recicipient Guy Simon:

The platform that the Balnaves Fellowship has created for me has really helped expand my vision as a theatre maker, and has given me access to some of strongest creatives in the country. I’ve been able to participate in creative discussions and observe rehearsal room processes that, as an actor, I would normally not have access to. An opportunity like this is rare and I would strongly recommend to any mob out there looking to level up on their artistic journey.

Hamish Balnaves, CEO, The Balnaves Foundation:

The Balnaves Foundation is proud to support Belvoir St Theatre in producing ground-breaking Indigenous Theatre. For more than 10 years this partnership has seen 12 outstanding individuals embark on the creation of new work through The Balnaves Foundation Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Fellowship. We are delighted to continue supporting a platform for Indigenous theatre artists to create original works with Belvoir St Theatre.

Applications are now open, with submissions closing on 6pm Monday 28th October.


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