Western Australia’s emerging creatives are set to take significant steps forward in their artistic careers after being awarded Next Level Fellowships, delivered by Regional Arts WA with support from the WA Government’s Regional Arts and Cultural Investment Program.
Three of this year’s fellowship recipients – writer and arts worker Olivia (Liv) Hartwig from Margaret River, performance artist Zoe Waterstrom Muller from Karratha and emerging painter Jacob Mangan from Narembeen – showcase the breadth of talent emerging from Western Australia’s regions, as well as the impact of targeted arts investment.
Regional Arts WA CEO Dr Pilar Kasat said the organisation received an exceptional pool of applications from across the State.
“We saw incredible talent and passion from all the emerging artists who applied,” Dr Kasat said. “Their creativity and commitment to extending themselves is the heart of the Next Level program. “These fellowships will help nurture new voices and strengthen the future of the arts in regional Western Australia.”
Margaret River’s Liv Hartwig will this year take up a placement with Arts Margaret River and the Margaret River Readers & Writers Festival, where she will work closely with festival organisers to produce content, support visiting authors and help deliver community writing activities.
A long-time volunteer at the festival, Hartwig said the fellowship offers the rare opportunity to develop both her writing craft and her skills as an arts worker.
“I realised pretty early that to make a career out of writing, you need to learn skills that go beyond the writing itself,” she said. “This fellowship gives me space to improve my storytelling with the support of a mentor, while also gaining real experience inside a major regional event.”
For Hartwig, who describes the festival as a cornerstone event for emerging writers in WA, the chance to step into the planning process for future programs is a major milestone.
“I’ve admired the festival’s sense of inspiration and connectedness for years,” she said. “To now learn how it all comes together – and to be part of that – is incredibly exciting.”
Karratha’s Zoe Waterstrom Muller has been awarded the Young Performance Artist Fellowship, delivered in partnership with The Blue Room Theatre.
The fellowship offers an emerging regional theatre maker a week-long professional development residency in Boorloo (Perth), with all travel, accommodation and program costs covered. During her residency, Zoe will undertake a curated five-day schedule of workshops, mentoring and networking opportunities designed to help her navigate WA’s professional theatre sector.
Judges were impressed by Zoe’s versatility across performance, design and teaching, as well as her strong commitment to empowering young people in her community through the arts.
The Blue Room Theatre will work closely with Zoe to co-design a program tailored to her creative goals and future career development.
Meanwhile, Wheatbelt-based artist Jacob Mangan will use his Regional Arts Emerging Artist Fellowship, awarded in partnership with the City of Greater Geraldton and the Geraldton Regional Art Gallery, to pursue one of Australia’s top portrait prizes.
The fellowship will allow Mangan to travel to Sydney to paint a portrait of Steven Miller, archivist at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, for submission to the Archibald Prize. Any remaining funds will support the creation of a customised plein air studio in the tray of his Holden ute – a setup he describes as an authentically Australian extension of his landscape practice.
For Mangan, who grew up in Jerramungup and has no formal art school training, the fellowship represents a turning point.
“It means everything. It gives me the chance to take time off work to paint,” he said. “I never thought a career as a painter was realistic for someone like me – but here I am.”
His choice of subject, Steven Miller, reflects Mangan’s deep respect for arts knowledge and cultural preservation. “I want to highlight people whose cultural knowledge is incredibly important, even if most people don’t know their names,” he said.
Photo: Jacob Mangan will be taking his talents on the road for a shot at the Archibald Prize. Image by Mullermind Creative. Courtesy of City of Greater Geraldton.
The 2025 Next Level Fellowships continue a strong partnership between the WA Government and Regional Arts WA, building on previous RACIP investments that have delivered new opportunities, training pathways and income streams for creatives across the State.
The program supports regional artists to develop their skills without needing to leave their communities, contributing to a more vibrant and sustainable regional arts sector.
Both Hartwig and Mangan offered similar advice to other young creatives considering applying for opportunities like Next Level: back yourself.
“Be brave and get involved in your creative community,” Hartwig said. “Some of the best connections start with volunteering.”
Mangan put it more succinctly: “Chuck it into sixth gear and floor it. As an artist, energy is your currency — don’t waste it.”
The Next Level Fellowships are currently open for applications, closing Monday 20 April 2026