2025 Grieve Project
Submissions Close Sunday 26 April, 8pm AEST
Heavy, weighing me down…
What if I let the grief-stone go…
Grief isolates. Storytelling brings people back into connection.
Storytelling is an act of survival, an act of memory, of love, and an act of community. Storytelling is not just cathartic — it reaffirms our belonging to the world.
We invite writers, storytellers and community nationwide to participate in the 2026 Grieve Project. We welcome different creative forms such as prose, poetry, and multimedia formats such as film, audio, graphic storytelling, and visual imagery. If we haven’t got it listed, please contact us to discuss.
The Grieve Project culminates in the publication of the Grieve anthology, capturing the diverse voices and experiences of grief and loss. Multimedia entries are featured online in the Grieve Gallery.
Lament, a community gathering of art, story and music to share stories of grief and loss will be hosted in the Hunter region and streamed online in late August
About
The Grieve Project is a national storytelling initiative that shares stories of loss and grief in all its forms. Grieve invites all Australians—from experienced writers to those simply needing a place to tell their story—to explore grief through poetry, short stories and multi-media.
Each year, we publish a collection of selected works that speak to the layered and complex nature of grief. These stories are raw, brave, and human. They go beyond responses to death—grappling with lost potential, unrealised futures, strained relationships, and memories left behind. Some pieces challenge the silence that surrounds certain types of grief, giving voice to experiences that are often overlooked, marginalised or dismissed.
The Grieve Project creates a space where honesty, diversity, and vulnerability are welcome. It offers connection and reminds us that while grief is deeply individual experience, it also reflects our shared human experience.
The Grieve Project is intentionally positioned at the intersection of craft and community. It began as a writing competition and now welcomes stories in many forms—written, spoken, visual, and digital. We value the art and craft of storytelling and equally recognise the power of personal stories to connect, heal, and reflect the depth of human experience. We welcome submissions from people of all backgrounds—seasoned writers and artists, as well as those with less experience. For written submissions, which make up the bulk of the Grieve Project, editorial support is provided.
Key Information
IMPORTANT: Please read the Terms and Conditions, and Frequently Asked Questions before you submit.
Who can enter: Australian citizens or residents 18 years or older.
When to enter: The 2026 Grieve Project is open for entries from Saturday 14 February 2026, until 8 pm (AEST) Sunday 26 April 2025.
Submitted works can include: Prose, photography, visual art, film, audio, graphic storytelling and visual imagery, according to the following guidelines.
- Prose: The word limit for prose submission is 500 words.
- Poetry: The line limit for poetry is 38 lines.
- Image/Artwork: Submitted as a single file .pdf, .png, .jpeg, .jpg, .tiff, .tif files. An entry comprised of a series of images or artwork will be judged as a single coherent entry
- Video: Up to 5 minutes of example video submitted as .mp4 or .mov
Audio: Up to 5 mins of example audio submitted as .mp3
Entry fees:
$25.85 ($23.50 + GST) for non-members
$22 ($20 + GST) for members
One work = one entry = one entry fee.
Up to 10 entries can be entered in one submission form.
Confirmation of submission: You will receive a confirmation email with an overview of your submission form. If you have not received this, please check your spam folder, and if you have still not received it, email us at contact@hunterwriterscentre.org
All writers and storytellers whose work is selected for publication in the anthology and online gallery will receive a $50 publishing fee for each work in recognition of their contribution, and a copy of The Grieve Project anthology. Vol. 13.
Sign up to our newsletter to stay up to date with all the Grieve offerings and opportunities.
To see work from previous years, consider purchasing a past Grieve anthology or visit the 2025 Grieve Gallery online
Timeline
Submissions Open — Saturday 14 February 2026
Sponsor and Award Categories Announced — Late March 2026
Submissions Close — Sunday 26 April 2026
Selection Announcement — Late June 2026
Lament — 29 August 2026
Judging Process
The Grieve Project uses a two-stage selection and award process.
Stage One: An independent curatorial team reviews all eligible submissions and selects a curated body of work that reflects the depth, breadth, and diversity of grief in its many forms. These works are published in the Grieve anthology and online gallery.
Stage Two: The curated selection is then provided to Sponsors and In-Memoriam donors, who select the recipients of the awards they have funded.
All awards are selected from the curated body of work.
Become a Sponsor
The Grieve Project is a national, multi-artform initiative inviting artists and community members to respond to experiences of grief and loss through creative practice.
Each year, selected works are shared through the Grieve anthology, and online gallery, and Lament, a community gathering of art, story and music to share stories of grief and loss.
We invite individuals, organisations, businesses, and community members to support the Grieve Project through sponsorship.
Sponsorship contributes to the delivery of the project, including cash prizes, publication, and the presentation of Lament. Support may be confirmed for one year or across multiple years.
To discuss sponsorship, please email Katherine McLean, Director, Hunter Writers’ Centre: director@hunterwriterscentre.org
Dedicate an In Memoriam Award
In Memoriam awards offer a way to honour the memory of a loved one, colleague, or friend through a dedicated award within the Grieve Project.
Each award recognises a work that speaks to loss, remembrance, or a lived experience, and carries a personal dedication alongside the work selected.
To dedicate an In Memoriam Award, you may:
- Donate an award of $100, $200, $500, or more.
- Choose whether you would like the award to be selected by our team members on your behalf, or if you would like to select the award-winner yourself
- Support an award for one year, or across multiple years.
You are welcome to indicate a preferred theme, topic, or demographic focus for your In Memoriam award. All awards are selected from the curated body of work for that year. While we will take your preference into careful consideration, we cannot guarantee that a submission will align precisely with your request.
In Memoriam donors receive a copy of the Grieve anthology featuring the In Memoriam dedication.
To dedicate an award, complete the In Memoriam form, and we will be in touch to confirm the details.
Submission Information
Grieve Volume 12 is a collection of stories, poems, and reflections that bear witness to the profound, complex, and layered nature of grief and loss.
Contributing Authors and Poets: Linda Atkins, Anne Benjamin, Cindy Bennett, Sophia Bilbrough, Emma Brazil, Oliver Brown, Coral Carter, Janet Chan, Anna Chandler, Joo-Inn Chew, Susan Collings, Michael Cunliffe, Liza Dezfouli, S.R. Ekstein, Anne Elvey, Edilia Ford, Jane Frank, Marcelle Freiman, Kylie Gardiner, Maree Gardner Chapman, Alexandra Geneve, Deborah Godley, Natalie Grealish, Rachel Guy, Maggie Wairimu Hari, Dimitra Harvey, Tiffany Hastie, Till Heike, Alysha Herrmann, Joey Hespe, Paul Hetherington, Lina Jabbour, Linda Judge, Pippa Kay, Nada Kesic, Gemma Killen, Rowena Lennox, Vivien Long, Deb Lucas, Karen Lynch, Sarah Maddison, Ros Marsden, Dane McCormack, Nathan McDonald, Dorian Mode, Bron Morrison, Lucy Norton, Iskandar Nugraha, Moya Pacey, Margaret Parker, Clare Parore, Tracy Peacock, Sarah Pearce, Tikvah Quirk, Jo Rendle, Sarah Rice, Robyn Rowland, Richenda Rudman, Ellen Shelley, Kristy Sibanda, Pauline Sorensen, Janelle Standish, Samantha Stratton, Eli Sutherland, Leah Szántó, Ric Taylor, Sandra Thom-Jones, Henriette Tkalec, Oormila V. Prahlad, Amelia Walker, Becca Wang, Sean West.
Thank you to our 2025 Sponsors
Storytelling brings people back into connection.
The Grieve Project is made possible thanks to the support of organisations and individuals who believe in the power of storytelling to reflect, witness, and connect. Each year, we invite community organisations, service providers, and individuals to sponsor a prize or dedicate an In Memoriam Award. These sponsorships play a vital role in recognising contributors, increasing participation, and ensuring that stories of grief and loss have a place in the cultural conversation.
Foundation Partner
National Association for Loss and Grief
Since 2014, the National Association for Loss and Grief (NALAG) has been a cornerstone supporter of the Grieve Project. Their longstanding commitment has enabled Grieve to provide a platform for stories that honour the human experience of grief and healing. We acknowledge and thank NALAG for their vital role in the life of the project.
Partners
Sponsors
