The Beatrice Davis Editorial Fellowship (BDEF) provides a unique opportunity for a senior Australian editor to develop knowledge and expertise through a research project, and share the findings with peers and the wider industry.

 

Beatrice Davis AM, MBE was Australia's first full-time book editor
Beatrice Davis AM, MBE, was Australia's first full-time book editor

The Fellowship is named after the distinguished literary editor, Beatrice Davis, and honours her contribution to Australian publishing. The Fellowship has been awarded biennially since 1998.

The BDEF involves the Fellow undertaking interviews and other research activity in an overseas market. A research report is then produced and promoted through workshops and presentations, sharing this knowledge and sparking conversation across the industry.

Find details of past fellows below, the latest news on the fellowship, along with the published research where available. 

Latest news on the 2023 Beatrice Davis Editorial Fellowship:

Image Beatrice Davis Fellow hits New York 10 Oct 23 2023 Beatrice Davis Editorial Fellow Sophie Splatt shares her experience visiting New York to research graphic novels in the US. Read
Image Beatrice Davis Fellow on Comic-Con International 12 Sep 23 2023 Beatrice Davis Editorial Fellow Sophie Splatt shares her experience attending San Diego Comic-Con as part of her research into graphic novels in the US. Read
Image Beatrice Davis Fellow Sophie Splatt heads to the US 18 Jul 23 Sophie Splatt heads to the United States to research graphic novels and learn how the Australian publishing industry can ‘better capitalise on this fast-growing category’. Read

 

 

 

What past Fellows say about the BDEF program

Past fellows

Headshot of Radhiah Chowdhury. Radhiah stands in front of a tree and wears a blue flower print blouse, glasses and a yellow headscarf.
Radhiah Chowdhury

BDEF 2019/20

Radhiah Chowdhury, Penguin Random House

Written over both the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2020 Black Lives Matter movement, Radhiah Chowdhury’s report, 'It’s hard to be what you can’t see: Diversity Within Australian Publishing', encapsulates a cultural turning point long in the making.

During her fellowship, Chowdhury explored the landscape of diverse and inclusive publishing in the United Kingdom through canvassing the experiences and perspectives of BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic) editors and authors working in the industry.

The resulting report analyses varying factors preventing FNPOC (First Nations and People of Colour) equal access and representation in the Australian publishing industry. Based upon these findings, Chowdhury puts forward a series of recommendations, outlining actions Australian publishers can take to further diversity and inclusion within the industry.

Download the 2019/2020 BDEF Report.

Watch the BookUp 2020 Diversity session, 'Diversity and the Beatrice Davis Editorial Fellowship'.

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