Expressions of interest are now open for the 2026 Balnaves Foundation Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Fellowship at Belvoir St Theatre.

This 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.

The Fellowship provides the Fellow the opportunity to work at Belvoir as a resident artist to create their work, subject to negotiation with the Fellow’s availability and location over a two-year period. Across this period, they will receive a full commission to develop a new original work, and wages to work in the Belvoir’s Artistic and Programming team.

In addition to the financial support for the Fellow, resources will also be provided to the project being developed. Creative milestones, placement within Belvoir, resourcing and collaboration will be discussed with the selected Fellow.

The Fellowship model seeks to be deeply collaborative and to support the selected Fellow to create a work for the stage, engage the Fellow in the experience of being in a company structure, and offers the opportunity to support other Indigenous artists through Belvoir’s creative development and programming processes.

Past winners include current Fellow Hannah Belanszky, Guy Simon (2023), Dalara Williams (2022), Thomas Weatherall (2021), Jorjia Gillis (2020), Nathan Maynard (2019), Kodie Bedford (2018) and Megan Wilding (2017).

If you are an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander playwright, writer/director or director who wants to create a new play with Belvoir or know someone who may be interested, head to our Fellowships and Residencies page for more information, and to download the application form. You can also click the link below to apply!

Applications Close 6pm (AEST), Monday the 10^th of November 2025