Partners
Celebrate bold new Australian stories and the writers bringing them to life, with readings from The Next Chapter's 2026 fellows and the announcement of the 2027 cohort.
The Next Chapter program elevates Australian stories that aren’t being told and nurtures a new wave of writers to tell them.
At this special event, hear from the 2026 cohort of fellows as they share excerpts from the manuscripts they’ve been developing during the program, and be among the first to discover the 2027 cohort of fellows.
Grab a drink, a bite to eat and settle in for an evening celebrating the very best of new Australian writing.
Content Warning:
This event may include references to sensitive content. The authors will share relevant content warnings with the audience before their readings.
The Next Chapter is made possible with support from Creative Australia, the Malcolm Robertson Foundation, the Koshland Innovation Extension Fund, a sub-fund of Australian Communities Foundation, the Mietta Foundation, the University of Melbourne’s Faculty of Arts and the Victorian State Government.
Event and Ticketing Details
Dates & Times
Thursday 12 November
6.30 - 8.00pm
Tickets
$0.00
Register
Tickets are free, but registrations are required.
A livestream of this event will also be available.
Location
The Wheeler Centre and wheelercentre.com
176 Little Lonsdale Street Melbourne Victoria 3000
Get directionsAccessibility
Accessible toilets available
Assistive Listening
Auslan interpreting available by-request
Companion tickets available
Registered Assistance Animals welcome
Wheelchair accessible
For information regarding accessibility at The Wheeler Centre, 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
Jamil Badi
Jamil Badi is a writer living on unceded Wurundjeri land. Inspired by oral storytelling practices, his work primarily consists of folktales which aim to blend the properties of the spoken word ...
Lou Garcia-Dolnik
Lou Garcia-Dolnik is a poet living and working on sovereign Gadigal-Wangal lands. Their poetry has appeared in journals including Overland, Meanjin, LIMINAL, Debris, Un Magazine ...
Kathryn Gledhill-Tucker
Kathryn Gledhill-Tucker is a Nyungar anti-disciplinary artist and creative technologist living on Whadjuk Noongar boodjar. Their creative practice explores custodial approaches to data ...
Maya Hodge
Maya Hodge is a Lardil writer and curator. Raised in Mildura and currently based on Wurundjeri Country, her multidisciplinary practice centres on First Peoples storytelling, sovereignty, and ...
Ledya Khamou
Ledya Khamou is an Iraqi-Assyrian writer residing in Naarm. She is interested in writing about complicated female characters and immigrant identity in Australia. Her work has been published ...
Simone King
Simone King (she/her) is a poet, editor, researcher and former social justice lawyer and policy adviser who lives and writes on Wurundjeri country, Naarm. She is currently undertaking a ...
Neika Lehman
Neika Lehman is a Trawlwoolway writer raised in Nipaluna, currently based in Naarm.
Lucy Norton
Lucy Norton is a storyteller, living and creating on Gadigal Country. She writes about memory, place, and the connections between people, spirit, and land. When she’s not writing ...
Amanda Tink
Dr. Amanda Tink is a proud disabled person with intense interests in Australian disabled authors, and crip memoir and poetics. Her essays have been published in a range of venues ...
Panda Wong
Panda Wong is a poet and editor living on unceded Wurundjeri land. She is one-half of music/poetry project Lotus Threads, as well as its expanded project lotus web. She is the author of the ...