Parramatta's Lit! WRITER AND EDITOR In ResidencE Program
11 Writers and 1 Editor will be selected as a part of the Parramatta's Lit! Writer and Editor In Residence in September 2026
Supported by local venues and literary organisations, this Program aims to support Western Sydney writers and editors.
Supported by Creative Australia
"WRITERS AND EDITORS In ReSIDENCE" PARTNERS
CURRENCY PRESS
Currency Press is Australia’s foremost publisher of the performing arts and its oldest active independent publisher. Our books include plays, screenplays, critical studies on theatre and film, practical guides and manuals on acting and auditioning, learning dialects, using drama to improve literacy and language, teaching drama and creating drama with young people.
THIS IS A VIRTUAL RESIDENCY - NO DESK SPACE PROVISION
1 x writer will be offered a virtual residence which includes a 1 hour mentoring session with Currency Press staff, a selection of Currency Press plays.
ELIZABETH FARM COTTAGE
Elizabeth Farm, managed by Museums of History NSW, is one of Australia's oldest surviving European homesteads and a place of profound historical significance. Located in Parramatta on Dharug Country, the house and gardens tell stories of the Macarthur family, early colonial life, agriculture and the enduring histories of the land. Today, Elizabeth Farm is a welcoming heritage site that invites visitors to explore Australia's layered past through exhibitions, guided tours, public programs and community events. As a place where history, storytelling and contemporary conversations meet, Elizabeth Farm offers a unique setting for writers, readers and audiences to connect with place and culture.
THIS IS AN ON-SITE RESIDENCY - TO BE NEGOTIATED WITH THE SELECTED WRITERS
2 x writers will be selected for this residency opportunity at Elizabeth Farm Cottage.
GIRAMONDO PUBLISHING
The Giramondo Publishing Company is an independent, Australian, university-based literary publisher of award-winning poetry, fiction and non-fiction, renowned for the quality of its writing, editing and book design.
Giramondo celebrates 30 years of publishing in 2026. Giramondo’s titles have won or been shortlisted for all the major Australian literary prizes, including the Miles Franklin, the Patrick White Literary Award, the Prime Minister’s Literary Award, the Stella Prize, the National Biography Award and the various state Premier’s Awards.
THIS IS AN ON-SITE RESIDENCY - 1 DAY PER WEEK DURING SEPTEMBER
1 x writer will be selected for this residency opportunity. This opportunity is best suited to an emerging writer, or for someone interested in the processes of publishing.
HAMBLEDON COTTAGE
Hambledon Cottage Museum is a beautifully preserved Georgian house museum located in Harris Park on Dharug Country. Built in 1824 as part of John Macarthur's Elizabeth Farm estate, the cottage offers visitors an authentic glimpse into nineteenth-century colonial life through its period furnishings, collections and guided tours. Managed by the Parramatta and District Historical Society, Hambledon Cottage is dedicated to preserving and sharing Parramatta's rich history through exhibitions, education programs, research and community engagement. With its heritage gardens, historic archives and welcoming atmosphere, Hambledon Cottage provides a unique place to connect history, storytelling and the people who have shaped Parramatta over two centuries.
THIS IS AN ON-SITE RESIDENCY - TWO TUESDAYS IN SEPTEMBER
1 x writer will also be gifted membership of Parramatta & District Historical until at least March 2028. Membership includes access to our members library, a free tour of Hambledon Cottage and other benefits. They will also be provided with a free copy of booklets on the history of Hambledon Cottage. No wifi available.
STORY FACTORY
Story Factory is a not-for-profit creative writing organisation for young people. Our award-winning programs empower young people from under-resourced communities to find and share their voices, imagine new worlds and write their own futures. publishes reviews and essays by the most widely recognised authors to emerging practitioners, with a program that reflects the diversity of literary talent across the country. It also publishes print anthologies, produces podcasts, and curates a lively series of public events. The SRB is based in Parramatta as part of the Writing and Society Research Centre at Western Sydney University.
ON SITE RESIDENCY - TO BE NEGOTIATED WITH THE SELECTED WRITER
1 x young and emerging writer (must hold an ABN) will be selected for this opportunity.
SYDNEY REVIEW OF BOOKS
Sydney Review of Books (SRB) is Australia's leading longform critical journal. Founded in 2013 to redress the diminishing opportunities for critics in the mainstream press, the SRB publishes reviews and essays by the most widely recognised authors to emerging practitioners, with a program that reflects the diversity of literary talent across the country. It also publishes print anthologies, produces podcasts, and curates a lively series of public events. The SRB is based in Parramatta as part of the Writing and Society Research Centre at Western Sydney University.
ON SITE RESIDENCY - 2 DAYS A WEEK FOR AN EDITOR
1 x successful editor will have access to a hot desk for the duration of the residency, and will be offered mentorship and hands-on editorial experience (copy-editing and proofing).
The selected applicant will receive an additional $500, bringing the total of this editor in residency to $1000.
WHITLAM INSTITUTE
The Whitlam Institute within Western Sydney University is a dynamic research and policy think tank, and a prime ministerial public museum. It commemorates and draws inspiration from the life and work of the Honourable Gough Whitlam AC QC and celebrates the contemporary relevance of his ideas. It pursues the causes he championed and is guided by the principles upon which Gough Whitlam's parliamentary career and years of service to the people of Australia were founded.
ON SITE RESIDENCY - TO BE NEGOTIATED WITH THE SELECTED WRITER
1 x writer will be provided a private and dedicated office space available to the writer in the East Wing of the building including wifi.
PARRAMATTA'S LIT! VIRTUAL RESIDENCY
Ideal for writers who already have their own workspace or enjoy writing across cafés, libraries, parks and other creative environments, this flexible residency offers mentorship and professional connection rather than a dedicated desk.
The residency will also be profiled through the Parramatta's Lit! website and Instagram, connecting writers with the wider festival community while allowing them the freedom to write wherever they work best.
VIRTUAL RESIDENCY - SELF DIRECTED AND ON YOUR OWN SCHEDULE
3 x writers will be selected to receive the $500 stipend to support their work
Our Partners
