February 23, 2024

Centre for Stories is pleased to announce the Patricia Kailis International Writing Fellowship shortlist for 2024. Centre for Stories has been overwhelmed with the high calibre of applications and this shortlist reflects a diverse range of writers, activists, and creatives who deserve recognition for their contributions to writing and literature.

Balli Kaur

Karthika Nair

Ko Ko Thett

Mamta Sen

Priya Basil

Sihle Ntuli

Sanam Maher

The winner will be announced on the week starting 4 March 2024.

About the Patricia Kailis International Writing Fellowship

The Patricia Kailis International Writing Fellowship is open to writers living outside Australia. It is a residency based at the Centre for Stories in Perth, Western Australia.

Dr Patricia Kailis was a highly respected doctor, academic, astute businesswoman, community leader and philanthropist. The matriarch of the Kailis pearling and fishing family, Dr Kailis was also a remarkable medical researcher who lay the groundwork for the identification of genes related to certain diseases. She was a support to, and mentor of, women who aspired to achieve the heights of their profession and in turn becoming a support for the community. She had a deep interest in issues impacting Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples. Dr Kailis was committed to the arts in all its diversity and in the opportunity for individual and communal expression.

The Patricia Kailis International Writing Fellowship has been made possible with the generous donation of her son Dr George Kailis.

Norman Erikson Pasaribu, the 2022 Patricia Kailis International Writing Fellow, shared that, “The fellowship gave me time to work on my novel. Perth is also very quiet. You can walk around to think about how to make your manuscript work. You can purchase any books you need at Rabble and Crow Books. And whenever you want to listen about literature, you can go to Centre for Stories’ events.”

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