About the Kat Muscat Fellowship

Express Media, in partnership with the Muscat family, is honoured to present The 2018 Kat Muscat Fellowship, offering support and development for a young writer or editor.

Kat Muscat was a brilliant young mind of the Australian writing community, whose formidable talent was demonstrated extensively through her incisive writing and perceptive editing. Kat was an integral part of the Express Media community for many years, before stepping up to become Editor of Voiceworks from 2012 – 2014. Throughout her 10 years with Express Media, Kat helped to shape the careers of young writers and editors from all around Australia.

Kat’s writing embodied her personal mantra of feminism, empathy and defiance, and the recipient of the Fellowship will take up her notion of challenge: exploring bold subjects, thinking deeply and critically about the world and the culture we consume, and reflecting and building on the craft of writing or editing.

The Kat Muscat Fellowship offers professional development up to the value of $3,000 for an editorial project or work of writing by a young female-identifying or non-binary person. The work must respond to the above values and provocation, continuing Kat’s legacy and further developing the future of defiant and empathetic young Australian women.

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible, applicants must:

• Be female-identifying (including cis and trans women) or non-binary
• Be aged 16 to 30 at the commencement of the fellowship in 2018
• Be an Australian citizen or permanent resident of Australia
• Propose a suitable project that aligns with the theme of ‘Challenge’, and the values of Express Media and The Kat Muscat Fellowship.

What can I apply for?

The Kat Muscat Fellowship offers professional development up to the value of $3,000 in 2018. These funds may be used towards professional development opportunities, including, but not limited to: mentoring, residencies, interstate travel, or project fees.

The final budget will be developed in consultation with, and managed by, Express Media.

 Selection Criteria

Vision: What is your idea and proposed project?

Impact: What impact will the Kat Muscat Fellowship have on your artistic practice and career, and what is the potential impact of your project on the wider community?

Capacity: What relevant experience or track record have you demonstrated, or how can you outline your personal and creative potential to make this project happen?

Feasibility: How will you realise or execute your proposed project, and is it achievable within the budget and timeframe of the Fellowship?

The Custodial Committee of The Kat Muscat Legacy Projects, which includes members of Express Media’s board and staff, the Muscat family and appointed community members, will select successful applications.

Reporting

At the completion of the fellowship, the successful applicant will be required to provide a report on the activity undertaken throughout the year.

This report will be retained for Express Media and the Muscat family for their records and may be used to promote the Fellowship in future years. Guidelines for reporting will be provided to the fellowship recipient by Express Media.

How To Apply

Applications will only be accepted from individual writer and editors, not collectives, groups or existing publications. Applications must be made via Submittable.

Your application must include:

1. A 1-page CV outlining your previous experience as a writer or editor. This CV must include the names and contact details of at least 2 referees.
2. A statement detailing your project or idea that addresses each of the Selection Criteria, to a maximum of 2 pages.
3. An excerpt or example of your work up to 1000 words.
   • For writers, this may be an excerpt from a longer work, a completed short work, or a collection of poems.
   • For editors, this may include an editorial, statement of intent for the project, or example of work that demonstrates your skills in curation, assessment, and feedback (i.e. the before and after of an edited work).

Your application may also include up to 3 letters of support from peers, colleagues or other professionals of standing that demonstrate how the supporter would be involved in your project.

Applications close 11.59pm Sunday January 14 2018.

Terms and Conditions

1. Applications close 11.59pm, Sunday January 14. Late applications will not be accepted.
2. Applicants are limited to two submissions per year.
3. All members currently serving on the Express Media Management Committee and all paid, permanent staff of Express Media are ineligible to enter.
4. Submissions will be acknowledged by email on receipt.
5. Application materials will not be returned.
6. Express Media may contact you for further information in relation to your application and project proposal.
7. Applicants will be notified of the outcome of their proposal by Friday February 23.
8. The successful applicant will work with Express Media and the Custodial Committee to shape and deliver the development plan for their fellowship, beginning in March 2018.
9. Any re-negotiation of activity to be undertaken as part of the Fellowship will be agreed to in consultation with Express Media and the Custodial Committee.
10. The successful applicant will be required to provide a short report on the activities undertaken during the fellowship no later than once month after the completion of the fellowship. Guidelines for this report will be provided by Express Media.
11. The successful applicant is to acknowledge the support of The Kat Muscat Fellowship in future publication or dissemination of the work developed throughout the fellowship.
12. An extract of the applicant’s work or a section of their final report may be published on the Express Media blog.
13. The successful applicant agrees to take part in events and media activities that promote the Fellowship and future fundraising activities.
14. The Custodial Committee may decide not to award the prize if they do not believe any of the entries to be of a suitable standard.

 

Further Information

Do you have a question regarding your application? Please contact Express Media’s Creative Producer, Fiona Dunne by email on fellowship@expressmedia.org.au or by phone 03 9094 7887.