Libraries Tasmania Fellowships
The Libraries Tasmania Fellowship Program started in 2024 with a Creative Fellowship and a Research Fellowship.
The aim of the Fellowships is for researchers and creatives to work with the collections of the State Library and Archives of Tasmania. Their work connects with Tasmania’s rich stories, identity and history.
In 2025 five Fellowships are awarded.
2025 recipients
Research Fellowship – Dr Joy McCann
Dr Joy McCann is the author of several books about Antarctica and the Southern Ocean.
Joy’s Fellowship project is titled ‘Telling the story of Lutruwita/Tasmania’s place in the history of Antarctica and the Southern Ocean’. Joy will create an illustrated contextual history about Antarctic and Southern Ocean history. Joy will also create some significant and unique items for exhibitions, panels and presentations.
Creative Fellowship – Robert O’Connor
Robert O’Connor is a Tasmanian artist who explores a range of concepts through painting and installation.
Robert’s Fellowship project is titled ‘Remixing the Archives; a florilegium of marginalia’. Robert’s project will explore the boundaries between personal documentation, historical records and artistic creation. Robert will produce works in response to this.
Aboriginal Fellowship – Dr Zoe Rimmer
Dr Zoe Rimmer is a Pakana (Tasmanian Aboriginal) community member. She has Ancestral connections to the northeast coast of Lutruwita/Tasmania. Zoe grew up connected to her community, Country and culture. This has inspired her work in the museum and cultural heritage management sector over the past 20 years.
Zoe’s Fellowship project is titled ‘Connecting the VDL Company Archives with Pakana Community, Country and Culture’. Zoe aims to find and share cultural information about Tasmanian Aboriginal people of the west coast in the Van Diemen’s Land (VDL) company records held in the State Library and Archives of Tasmania collections.
Writing Fellowship – Ivy Alvarez
With Island Magazine
Ivy Alvarez is a highly respected writer and editor.
Ivy’s Fellowship project is titled ‘The Pain Button and other stories’. Ivy aims to uncover the obscure links between Filipino people who travelled to Tasmania. This will include Tasmanians who have sought a relationship with the Philippines.
Writing Fellowship – Ben Walter
With Island Magazine
Ben Walter is one of Australia’s most widely published contemporary literary writers.
Ben’s Fellowship project is titled ‘Developing experimental nature fiction through engagement with the journals and letters of Tasmanian bushwalker, Jack Thwaites’. Ben will create three pieces of experimental nature writing based on Jack Thwaites logbooks, letters and notes.