LitUp: Expression of Interest

EOIs for the first round of the program are now closed. Successful recipients will be notified in the coming weeks. To stay up to date with LitUp and other Australia Reads news, please sign up for our newsletter.

LitUp is a new live literature initiative from Australia Reads, supporting author events in communities across Australia, in partnership with the Copyright Agency Cultural Fund and Creative Australia.

By filling out this form, you are registering your interest to be considered as one of 20 host communities for the pilot year of the program. The pilot will run in Queensland and New South Wales, with the events held in 2026.

Australia Reads will work with key event organisers from each host community to select a suitable author or illustrator. During their visit, the author/illustrator will participate in 2-3 events at schools, libraries, community centres and/or bookshops across the local area depending on the requirements of your community.

Looking for inspiration for which Australian author you’d like to host? Browse the Author & Illustrator Directory.

Got questions? Visit the LitUp page, or get in touch via li***@au************.au.

Australia Reads will:

Fund an author or illustrator for 2-3 events across your community, at local schools, libraries, community centres and/or bookshops
Pay for travel and accommodation for your author or illustrator
Provide a book pack for the host school/library
Give you access to resources to support your event delivery
Provide downloadable poster templates and marketing materials
Connect you to a community of other event organisers
Connect you to a suitable author or illustrator

You will need to:

Be based in Queensland or New South Wales for this pilot year
Ensure that your author or illustrator is taken care of during their stay
Provide a suitable venue for your events
Liaise with the other event hosts in your area
Work with Australia Reads to create and promote your event
Hold your event/s in term 1 or term 2, 2026 (Feb-June 2026)

Apply for LitUp

LitUp Expression of Interest

Name of your school/organisation:

Address of your school/organisation:

Street address:

State/territory:

Postcode:

Contact name:

Contact role:

Contact email:

Have you hosted author/illustrator events in the past?

When would you be able to host an author/illustrator event?

Term 1 (February-March) 2026

Term 2 (April-June) 2026

(Select either/both)

Tell us why having an author/illustrator would be beneficial to your community:

(Maximum 500 words)

Historically, what have been some of the barriers to live literature in your community?

Location

Cost

Confidence

Community support

Don’t know authors/illustrators

Lack of peer support/encouragement

Other (please specify)

(Choose as many as appropriate)

Other barriers to live literary events in your community:

Age range of your intended event audience (if known):

Size of your intended audience (approx):

Event venue (eg school gym/hall/library/classroom):

Are there any specific authors/illustrators that you would be interested in hosting? Please list up to 5 below:

As a part of the LitUp program, authors and illustrators will also do a community event and a second day at a partner school. If available, please provide details of the best contact at your local library/school and/or bookshop:

Please briefly outline any plans to engage or consult with your local First Nations community or other local community groups who are stakeholders in your school community:

(Maximum 50 words)

If you are applying on behalf of a school, please provide a link to your MySchools profile here:

Assessment criteria:

Your local area: LitUp is committed to reaching schools and communities disadvantaged by geographic isolation. We would like to know how LitUp would allow you to overcome any geographic barriers to running live literature events.
Impact for community: We’re looking for compelling cases about why a live literature event would be beneficial to your community.
Community diversity: We want your events to reach as many people as possible, including those in marginalised groups. Applications are encouraged from applicants who can tell us about the broad diversity of their cohort and whose application reflects their interests.
ICSEA school ranking: We aim to support communities who have experienced barriers to accessing live literature events. As such, those schools with a lower ICSEA school ranking will be prioritised.
Evidence of community support: Applicants are encouraged to identify which bookshops/libraries/schools in the community can help you bring this live literature event to fruition!
Evidence of First Nations consideration: Applications are encouraged from those who have considered First Nations community consultation, or have established relationships.