Celeste Wong and Melanie Bakewell awarded 2026 Writers SA Fellowships

Writers Celeste Wong and Melanie Bakewell have been named recipients of the 2026 Writers SA Fellowships.

The fellowships, offered through a partnership between Writers SA and Varuna, the National Writers’ House, provide the recipients with time and space to develop their writing at Varuna. Applications were judged by a panel comprising Writers SA staff and board members and a South Australian Varuna alumnus.

Wong, who is working on a historical fiction manuscript depicting the lives of Chinese women in Australia, said, “The gift of time and space is invaluable, and this opportunity at Varuna is exactly that. The magic of Varuna allows the writer to take a moment from the real world in order for ideas to form and crystallise, which is especially rare in the hamster wheel of modern life. Additionally, the acknowledgement of the validity of a project reinforces the power of voice, which is especially needed in recent times.”

Bakewell, an emerging writer, independent audio producer and artist, said, “I’ve known many amazing writers who have raved about their Varuna residencies, and am delighted to follow in their tracks. As a carer, this opportunity will make a huge difference to kickstart a project I haven’t had dedicated time or space to breathe life into and I can’t wait to get started.”

Further information is available on the Varuna website.

Category: Awards Local news