Arasu wins inaugural travel fund

Poet Prema Arasu has been announced as the inaugural winner of the Forrest Research Foundation and Fremantle Press travel fund for Western Australian writers to promote their work outside of the state.

Arasu, who wrote the poetry collection Vampire Squid (Fremantle, 2025) and The Book of Sea Monsters (Adlard Coles), teaches creative writing and literature at the UWA School of Indigenous Studies and in the School of English and Literary Studies.

The fund aims to support work from one new or emerging Western Australian writer each year, “enabling writers to take up opportunities to tour and promote their work nationally”, said organisers. 

Fremantle Press CEO Alex Allan said, “Prema’s work is amazing and they are an erudite speaker with something vital to say. But, let’s face it, they’re less likely to be considered for panels by cash-strapped writing festivals, booksellers or local libraries when they know they’re going to have to cough up an airfare and accommodation.

“Too many programmers are missing the opportunity to host interesting new writers from Western Australia. This fund challenges them all to look west and explore what our emerging storytellers have to offer.”

Forrest Research Foundation director James Arvanitakis said, “The Forrest Research Foundation fosters cutting-edge, collaborative research by bringing brilliant minds from all disciplines to Western Australia. Prema’s poetry collection is emblematic of this approach – blending science and art to create a deeply personal work inspired by the Deep Sea, the creatures that dwell there, and the people who observe them.”

Category: Awards Local news