Sydney Opera House Mentorship for Diverse Emerging Writers recipients announced

Writers Patricia Arcilla and Joyce Chew are the two recipients of the Sydney Opera House’s inaugural Mentorship for Diverse Emerging Writers, presented in partnership with Sweatshop.

Chew and Arcilla each receive $1000, an Antidote digital festival pass and mentorship from Sweatshop affiliated mentors Winnie Dunn and Declan Fry. Two applicants, Adrian Mouhajer and Tiffany Fong, were highly commended.

Applicants were required to submit their idea for a writing project inspired by the themes of this year’s Antidote festival. Chew will write a ficto-critical piece inspired by the Myth of the Fair Go panel, blending confessional fiction with recent histories of Asian identity and the legacy of colonialism. Arcilla will write an essay inspired by the #StopAsianHate panel discussion, and highlight the need for a more nuanced understanding of Asian Australian identity. The finished works will be published on Sydney Opera House’s digital platform.

The mentorship program, which will run annually, was announced in July.

Pictured L–R: Arcilla, Chew

Category: Awards Local news