Hot Desk Fellowships

The Wheeler Centre’s Hot Desk Fellowships are back for 2024 – this year made possible by the generous support of the Faculty of Arts, University of Melbourne, the Readings Foundation and the Just Pretending theatre group. 

2024 is the 12th year of The Wheeler Centre’s Hot Desk Fellowships, which provide emerging writers with a space to inspire their process and build a creative community.  

The Wheeler Centre will offer twenty-two writers a fellowship, including a stipend of $1250 and a dedicated workspace in the building over a ten-week period. Hot Desk Fellows have the opportunity to meet, network and work with The Wheeler Centre’s resident organisations including Writers Victoria, Emerging Writers’ Festival, Australian Poetry, Express Media, Small Press Network and the Melbourne Writers Festival. 

Hot Desk Fellowships introduce emerging writers and their work to the public. All fellows and their projects will be featured on The Wheeler Centre’s website, as well as appearing at special Hot Desk editions of The Next Big Thing, the Centre’s much-loved reading series. 

In 2024, the Faculty of Arts, University of Melbourne will be the major supporter of the Hot Desk Fellowships, funding twenty positions.  

Since 2017, the Just Pretending theatre group has supported an emerging female or non-binary playwright through the Just Pretending Hot Desk Fellowship.  

From 2024, the Readings Foundation will support one Hot Desk Fellowship for an emerging Young Adult writer, in memory of Australian Young Adult author Gabrielle Williams. 

Join a community of creativity, while having the productive space of a desk of your own. 

Applications for 2024 Hot Desk Fellowships are currently closed. Successful applicants will be announced at the end of April via The Wheeler Centre website.

The Hot Desk Fellowships are made possible by the generous support of the Faculty of Arts, University of Melbourne, the Readings Foundation and the Just Pretending theatre group.