The Next Chapter
Take your story to The Next Chapter, The Wheeler Centre’s landmark writing program.
Applications for The Next Chapter 2026 will be open 10 June, 2025. More information will be provided soon.
The Next Chapter writer's program elevates Australian stories that aren’t being told and nurtures a new wave of writers to tell them.
The Next Chapter selects a group of writers and provides them with a stipend of $15,000, a handpicked mentor to work closely with them on bringing their writing to life, and connects them with peers, publishers and readers. Participants also receive the opportunity to attend a residency at Varuna, The National Writer’s House, and other travel opportunities.
2025/26 marks the sixth intake of The Next Chapter. Presented by the Wheeler Centre with support from Creative Australia, the Malcolm Robertson Foundation, the University of Melbourne’s Faculty of Arts and the Victorian State Government, The Next Chapter supports a new wave of writers who reflect the diversity of Australian identities and experiences. The Next Chapter program is proudly supported by the Koshland Innovation Extension Fund, a sub-fund of Australian Communities Foundation.
