Photo: 2016 Australian Indigenous Creator Scholarship recipients. Clockwise from top left - Kamsani Bin Salleh, Gregg Dreise, Samantha Fry, Sharon Hughes, Maree Yoelnu (McCarthy), Bruno Starrs, Brenton (Ezra) McKenna, and Enoch Mailangi

Thanks to our generous supporters and the Plus1 Program through Creative Partnerships Australia, Magabala Books awarded a record number of scholarships in 2016.

Our 2016 scholars are:

• Kamsani Bin Salleh (WA) is a Noongar and Nimunburr man who lives in Perth. An up and coming artist, designer and illustrator, Kamsani
  will receive a mentorship to learn the craft of book illustration. With the support of this mentorship, Kam will have his first children’s picture book published in 2017.
  
  
• Gregg Dreise (QLD) is a Kamilaroi and Yuwalayaay man from south-west Queensland. The author and illustrator of three children’s picture books – Silly Birds, Kookoo Kookaburra and Mad Magpie – Gregg has been awarded a specialised mentorship to further develop his next children’s picture book.
  
  
• Samantha Fry (NT) is an artist who lives in Darwin in the Northern Territory. Samantha will receive a mentorship to learn the craft of
  illustration and will illustrate her first children’s picture book.
  
  
• Sharon Hughes (VIC) hails from the small town of Wongan Hills in WA. Her passion has always been writing. Through the scholarship program Sharon will participate in a specialised writing workshop.
  
  
• Enoch Mailangi (QLD) is a poet who lives in Sydney and would like to pursue a career in writing, editing and media. He will receive a mentorship with a poetry specialist to further develop his work.
  
  
• Brenton (Ezra) McKenna (WA) is Yawuru man from the town of Broome, WA. His scholarship will provide specialist mentoring and training within the graphic novel genre, and enable him to attend the annual Australian Comics Festival to further pursue professional opportunities
  in his field.
  
  
• Bruno Starrs (WA) is an award-winning playwright and novelist and a descendant of the Pitjantjatjara people. His scholarship will support
  the manuscript of his fourth novel to be professionally assessed by a manuscript assessor.
  
  
• Maree Yoelnu (McCarthy) (NT) is a Wadjigan woman from the Western Wagait area of the Top End, who lives in Darwin. Maree will receive mentoring support from a specialised editor to assist her to develop her children’s stories.
  
  

Congratulations to all the recipients.