Eligibility
- Applicants must be 18 years or older and either an Australian citizen or a permanent resident.
- Poets must have been previously commissioned or programmed in a paid capacity by Red Room Poetry, except for those applying to the Emerging Poets or Anywhere Remote Fellowships. If you are still unsure of your eligibility, please feel welcome to contact us well in advance of the application deadline to check.
- Poets commissioned for Poetry Month as part of 30in30 across 2025 are ineligible to apply for the 2026 Fellowship - but will be eligible for the 2027 Fellowship and beyond.
- Availability is required for a one-week residency from Monday 24 August - Monday 31 August 2026. Fellows must attend in-person at Varuna, or complete the Anywhere Remote Fellowship during the same week. Dates are non-transferable.
- Fellows must be prepared to record, publish, and speak publicly about their poetry and creative process.
At least one of the six places is reserved for a First Nations poet, and at least one place for a Culturally and Linguistically Diverse poet, and at least one place for an Emerging Poet.
For more detailed information, please see the FAQs below and the Terms and Conditions.
What support material should I provide with my application?
We ask that you include up to three previously unpublished poems or audio poem/s as one file (max 3 minutes). We ask that these poems not be under consideration elsewhere as a Poetry Month commission is part of the opportunity for selected Fellows. It's up to you what to include, but poems from your proposed project are likely stronger as they give the judges a sense of what you plan to work on with your time.
What does ‘previously commissioned or published’ by Red Room Poetry mean?
If you have had a poem commissioned or selected for paid publication by Red Room Poetry for any of our previous projects, with the exception of poets commissioned for Poetry Month as part of 30in30 in 2025. You are also eligible to apply if you have been booked by Red Room Poetry for an event - for example, if you have performed at a Poetry Month showcase or taught a workshop with us. If you’re still not sure, feel free to reach out and clarify. This eligibility criteria is waived if you are applying for the Emerging Poets Fellowship.
I am an established or mid-career poet - is this opportunity for me?
Absolutely! Whether you've published two books or twelve, or have been touring your spoken poetry practice for decades - if a dedicated week to work on your poetic project would be of benefit to you, we would love to hear your proposal.
What does 'emerging poet' mean?
For the purposes of this program, an emerging poet is defined as a poet who has had no more than one full-length collection of poetry published.
I am an emerging poet (having published no more than one collection of poetry), but I have not been ‘previously commissioned or published’ by Red Room Poetry - am I eligible to apply?
Yes. As outlined in the eligibility criteria, the criteria to be previously commissioned or published by Red Room Poetry is waived if you are applying as an emerging poet.
I have not been previously commissioned or published by Red Room Poetry, how can I find out more about this?
More detail about our commissioning process and how to share your work with us is available on the General FAQs page of our website here.
Can you tell me about physical accessibility onsite at Varuna?
More information about Accessibility at Varuna for the in-person Fellowships can be found via their website here.
What is the 'Anywhere Remote Fellowship'?
Designed to broaden access for poets who face additional barriers that may make traveling to Varuna a challenge. This may include caring responsibilities or challenges with travel, and is self-identified. You can choose to apply for this Fellowship instead of the in-person options by selecting the checkbox on the entry form. This Fellowship includes the stipend, an online one-on-one mentorship session, public reading opportunity and publication opportunity (with additional fee) but does not include accommodation.
Can I apply for the 'Anywhere Remote Fellowship' as well as the in-person Fellowships?
No. If you select 'Anywhere Remote Fellowship' on the application form, we will consider your application for that opportunity only.
Where can I find more information about the Fellowship site?
Via the Varuna website here.
Where can I find more information about the Fellowship structure, food and other details?
Via the Varuna website here.
How is the Fellowship different in 2026 than in previous years?
Previously, we have offered one Fellowship to a poet previously commissioned by Red Room Poetry to deeply develop their practice through a project of scale. In order to develop the wider poetic community, commission opportunities were also offered to 9 shortlisted poets, for publication on Red Room Poetry’s digital channels.
This program now offers Fellowships to a cohort of 6 poets - 5 in-person, and 1 remote - in order to develop a community of practice.
I have other questions about the Fellowship - where can I get more information?
If you still have questions that aren't answered here or at the links above, you can contact us via fellowship@redroompoetry.org*
*please note our office is closed from 22 December - 5 January. We will respond to any queries that come through over the break when we return.