Mykaela Saunders and Darby Jones have been awarded the inaugural Copyright Agency-UTS Indigenous Writers’ Fellowships for 2026/2027

Mykaela Saunders is an award winning Koori/Goori and Lebanese writer. She descends from Dharug people from Western Sydney and belongs to the Tweed Goori community through her Bundjalung and South Sea Islander family. Mykaela writes fiction, poetry and non-fiction and her speculative fiction collection Always Will Be (UQP 2024) won the David Unaipon Award. Mykaela has also edited a collection of First Nations speculative fiction This All Come Back Now (UQP 2022), which won an Aurealis Award.

Darby Jones is a queer man with matrilineal ties to the Kamilaroi mob in St. George, southwest Queensland, Darby writes poetry and creative non-fiction and is working on a collection of place-based essays based on his experiences growing up in rural southwest Queensland. Darby has appeared at many literary festivals in Australia as a host and panellist, has received recognition for his work through awards and fellowships, and also works as an editorial assistant for the Griffith Review.

Mykaela and Darby are looking forward to working with Indigenous academics and students at UTS, meeting industry representatives and networking with fellow authors. The time dedicated to career development will be of great value, as will the time to work on their new creative projects.