Nicola Evans Talks New CAL Grants for Creators NSW Feb 12

The Cultural Fund is the philanthropic arm of the Copyright Agency. Members commit 1.5% of revenue every year for vital grants to enhance the profile of Australian creators and to support dynamic writing, publishing and visual arts sectors.

They support members and key stakeholders to create, award, present, publish, and promote work by Australian creators that connects with audiences. They champion industry-led research and encourage new partnerships with the education and cultural sectors.

The Cultural Fund provides invaluable CREATE and IGNITE grants to individual creators to pursue professional development and career enhancing opportunities, and to create work. It also provides career-sustaining Fellowships for established authors, visual artists, publishers and teachers.

They offer two rounds of funding to organisations and, from 2018, the Cultural Fund will highlight opportunities for industry partnerships and support for key national writers’ festivals.

Their priority is to ensure that artists are better supported and are paid appropriately for their creative endeavours. They also offer grants to leading organisations to help build literacy skills for children and young adults.

Intending applicants are encouraged to discuss their project with the Cultural Fund before applying. Find out more here.

Rosemary Wells is coming to Australia and NZ

Rosemary Wells is a hugely successful and popular author and illustrator and we are so lucky that she has kindly offered to chat to us at SCBWI NSW and NZ. 

Rosemary is the creator of 125 books for kids, including more than 40 picture books about the beloved best-selling bunnies, Max and Ruby, adapted into television, animation and film.

Join us in Sydney and Wellington to hear about Rosemary's experience as a creator, art director and editor in the US publishing world.

She will speak in Wellington NZ on Feb 7 and in Sydney on Feb 12. Click on the links for all the details.

Watch Rosemary in her

Rosemary will be joined by Nicola Evans, the Copyright Agency’s Cultural Fund and Reading Australia Officer. She will talk to us about new grants for creators. This will be essential for those wanting to apply for grants this year. Hope to see you there.

Saving Our School Libraries

Saving Our School Libraries School libraries encourage children to read and write but not only that, it encourages them to develop a love of reading, and it's this that will have the biggest impact on them as they grow older.

Libraries provide a safe, welcoming place for your child to spend time during their school day. Constant funding cuts to staffing and resources are putting the future of school libraries at risk.

In 2018, the School Library Coalition will mount an Australia wide campaign to demonstrate how important they are, not just for your child's school years, but for lifelong learning and fulfillment.

To help us, we're looking for stories about how children have received significant benefit from participating in the literacy, social and cultural activities of the school library, or simply from feeling nurtured and engaged. Or perhaps you have an experience of how school library staffing cuts have impacted on your child’s learning or wellbeing. If you have a personal experience that you're happy for us to share (we can change names if necessary), we'd love to hear from you. Please email your story or contact details to

You can also download some very fun, librarian-loving free posters from the UK here If you do use them, please credit the illustrator, Sarah McIntyre.