ASA, Arts Tasmania relaunch mentorship program

The Australian Society of Authors (ASA) and Arts Tasmania have announced the return of the Tasmanian Writers and Illustrators Mentorship Program.

This program for authors and illustrators based in Tasmania will offer 16 mentorships in 2025, along with $500 honorariums. Each participant will be paired with a mentor from the ASA’s Mentor Register based on their genres and preferences.

Winners also receive a year’s associate membership with the ASA, a place in an ASA pitching course and a subsequent pitching event, and additional invitations to two in-person events.

These mentorships will be awarded for the first time since 2022, for writers of adult fiction, nonfiction, poetry, young adult and children’s works, with two mentorships reserved for creators of illustrated works.

ASA CEO Lucy Hayward said: ‘This program provides Tasmanian authors and illustrators the opportunity to focus on perfecting their work, learn directly from qualified practitioners, and build a community of like-minded creatives.’

Tasmanian arts minster Madeleine Ogilvie said: ‘This partnership builds on our successful 2022 program and represents a significant investment in Tasmania’s literary future. It provides our emerging writers and illustrators with professional mentoring and industry connections that can transform creative potential into published reality.’

Among past recipients is Nadia Mahjouri, whose debut novel, Half Truth, was recently published by Penguin.

Entries are open and will close on 13 June. Winners will be announced 9 July.

More details are available on the ASA website.

Category: Awards Local news