Supported by
The first cohort of The Wheeler Centre’s 2026 Hot Desk Fellowships share their work at this special edition of The Next Big Thing.
At this special edition of The Next Big Thing, writers awarded a 2026 Hot Desk Fellowship will share exclusive excerpts from their works-in-progress.
Grab a drink and settle in as host Pranati Narayan Visweswaran introduces Amarantha, Kanika Chopra, Karen Gardner, Lise Leitner, Ernest Price, Tayla Richardson and Saraid Taylor to The Moat for an evening of captivating readings – from poetry to historical fiction and futurist drama – and insights into their creative practice.
This event may include references to sensitive content. The authors will share relevant content warnings with the audience before their readings.
The Hot Desk Fellowships are supported by the Faculty of Arts, University of Melbourne, the Readings Foundation and the Just Pretending theatre group.
Event and Ticketing Details
Dates & Times
Monday 20 July
6.30 - 7.30pm
Tickets
$19.50
Full
$15.50
Concession
$15.50
Under 30
$0.00
Pay What You Wish
Location
Accessibility
Accessible toilets available
Registered Assistance Animals welcome
Wheelchair accessible
For information regarding accessibility at The Moat, click here.
Please notify us of all access requirements when booking online so we can assist you with your visit. If you require further information, please contact ticketing@wheelercentre.com.
Featuring
Amarantha
Amarantha is a Jamaican playwright, producer, performer and arts ecology consultant. Her writing channels the sacred storytelling traditions of her Indigenous American bloodline, West African ancestry and Jamaican ...
Kanika Chopra
Kanika is an avid reader, writer, and the creator of More than Melanin, a literary publication by and for people of colour and Bla(c)k folks from the LGBTQIA+ community. They are an arts worker, having worked across a ...
Karen Gardner
Karen Gardner is a writer and researcher with an academic background in health services research and policy implementation. In recent years, her focus has shifted toward narrative non-fiction, translating her interest in ...
Lise Leitner
Lise Leitner is a writer and games creative based in Naarm/Melbourne. They hold a Master's in Scriptwriting from Bath Spa University and they’ve contributed to game titles like Slay the Spire, Trash and MMORPG ...
Ernest Price
Ernest Price is transgender man living and writing on Bunurong land. His debut novel The Pyramid of Needs ...
Tayla Richardson
Tayla Richardson is a poet, multidisciplinary artist, writer, filmmaker, actor and disability advocate living on Bunurong land. She creates to connect and untangle perceptions of ambiguous loss, hope and ...
Saraid Taylor
Saraid Taylor is a writer or athlete, living on Wurundjeri land. She graduated from the Victorian College of the Arts with a bachelor's degree of Fine Arts (Screenwriting). Her debut literary novel is forthcoming with UQP ...
Pranati Narayan Visweswaran
Artist, creative worker, and culture junkie, Pranati is a staunch supporter of the arts. They have experience working with emerging, independent BIPOC artists, and are the founder of local initiative South by South East ...