To apply for the Parramatta Laureateship in Literature, please first download and read the Information Sheet here, which includes details about the Laureateship, selection criteria, application process and cultural guidance. First Nations authors and Writers of Colour are welcome and encouraged to apply. 

Selection criteria for the Parramatta Laureate in Literature that will need to be addressed in the application form on Submittable are:

1. Overall writing career – including a brief comment on applicant’s interest in the program, experience to date as a writer and the genre/s in which they publish (max. 500 words);

2. Evidence of 3 significant published works – including a brief comment on each work and its public or cultural importance/impact (max. 150 words each). Evidence can be provided via attached documents or by weblinks;

3. Evidence of connection to Parramatta region – including a brief comment about links to the different communities, places and environments addressed in the Parramatta City Strategies. The Laureate will be an advocate for the Parramatta region, and we are interested in their history of creative and/or cultural engagement with its people and places (max. 300 words);

4. Evidence of public engagement – including a brief comment on up to 3 activities completed previously as a public advocate for literature and/or the arts. The Laureate will be giving two workshops and dealing directly with communities, and we want to ensure they are comfortable in this ambassadorial role (max. 150 words each);

5. Awareness of ethical conduct – including a brief comment on how they understand a duty of care towards the different communities, students and young people they will encounter as the Parramatta Laureate in Literature (max. 300 words).

Applicants also will be asked to upload a summary C.V. of 2-3 pages and provide details for two referees, who if required will be approached for phone or email references. The Parramatta Laureate in Literature will be appointed by CoP and SRB/WSRC after applications are reviewed by a Parramatta Laureate in Literature Advisory Panel. The panel will include representatives from First Nations and local communities, the SRB/WSRC, CoP and the local arts sector. Following an interview, it is anticipated that the Laureate will be appointed in November 2023 to immediately commence scoping conversations, with the final work delivered late in 2024 (see indicative timeline on the Information Sheet).

Are you thinking of sharing your research beyond the university by writing for public audiences? Would you like to learn how to pitch essays and reviews to journals, magazines and newspapers? In 2023 the WSRC and the Sydney Review of Books are presenting a joint workshop and traineeship program for HDR students.

If you've received this link, it means you took part in an online workshop about writing for general audiences.  All HDR workshop participants are eligible to apply competitively for one of three Academic Publishing Traineeships (each worth $1500) to develop a review essay for publication on the Sydney Review of Books. This is a chance to share your research findings with a national audience in a highly-regarded scholarly forum. Successful applicants will work with the SRB editor to develop their essays from October 2023 through to January 2024.