The Fellowship recognises the achievements and artistic goals of contemporary Australian poets.

The Red Room Poetry Fellowship was established in 2017 to foster the poetic and professional development of contemporary Australian poets. In 2024, we expanded the fellowship program in partnership with Varuna - the National Writers House.

This opportunity encourages poets to undertake an intensive period of creative development including a residency at Varuna or remotely, one-on-one mentorship and a group workshop, as well as a poetic commission published as part of Poetry Month in August.

Five Fellows were selected to attend an in-person residency at Varuna in the week of Monday 26 August - Monday 2 September 2024, and two Fellows were selected to undertake an Anywhere Remote Fellowship during the same week. The Anywhere Remote Fellowship was designed to broaden access for poets who face additional barriers that may make traveling to Varuna a challenge. Having all poets in residence simultaneously establishes a community of practice, and encourages new poetic connections.

2024 Fellows

Selected from an unprecedented 91 applicants (via a long-listing and short-listing process), applications were read de-identified from the poets’ personal information and selected only on the strengths of the project proposal, poet goals for their time in residence and work sample. The 2024 Fellows were:

1. Natalie Damjanovich-Napoleon (WA)
2. Aloma Davis (VIC)
3. Ella Jeffery (QLD)
4. Gabrielle Journey Jones (NSW)
5. Theresa Violet Sainty (Pakana) (TAS)
6. Aunty Kerry Bulloojeeno Archibald Moran (NSW) - Anywhere Remote Fellowship
7. Phoebe Grainer (QLD) - Anywhere Remote Fellowship

Read the full judges’ statement here, and check out their artist bios and commissioned poems below.