Two $10,000 grants. Fifteen years of championing women in Australian screen. One big opportunity to pursue bold professional development.
Applications are officially open for the 2026 Natalie Miller Fellowship, with two grants of $10,000 each on offer for women pursuing ambitious professional development in the Australian screen sector.
This year marks 15 years of the Fellowship investing in future leaders who will go on to influence and redefine our industry.
Australia’s only grant of its kind
The Natalie Miller Fellowship is the only grant of its kind in Australia. Established in 2011 to recognise the unique contribution of screen industry pioneer Natalie Miller AO, the Fellowship is open to women working in the Australian screen industry in traditional sectors (e.g. distribution, exhibition, production, post-production, financing etc) and emerging sectors (e.g. immersive media, digital content and gaming) and aims to provide financial assistance to pursue professional development in their fields.
Fifteen years, fifteen Fellows
Since 2012, the Fellowship has supported 15 women, including Katrine Elliott, Genevieve Grieves, Dr Sian Mitchell, Bridgette Graham, Pauline Clague, Anna Kaplan, Miriam Katsambis, Kristy Matheson, Sasha Close, Courtney Botfield, Rebecca Hammond, Harriet Pike, Rachel Okine, and, most recently in 2025, Ruby Arrowsmith-Todd and Nerida Groth.
Together, they form an alumni network spanning exhibition, distribution, production and beyond. They are women who’ve gone on to make a lasting impact across the Australian screen industry.
Why it matters
The Natalie Miller Fellowship plays a unique role in passionately promoting female leaders across the spectrum of the Australian screen sector, and in providing a support network for women in the industry. Its vision is gender diversity in screen leadership, that in turn means a greater breadth of storytelling, better company performance, more innovation, and a more dynamic, inclusive and robust industry for everyone.
President of the Natalie Miller Fellowship, Sasha Close, says:
“As the Natalie Miller Fellowship marks 15 years of championing women in Australia’s screen industry, we’re proud to open applications for the 2026 program. With two $10,000 grants available, the Fellowship continues to invest in women with bold ambitions to lead, innovate and shape the future of screen. Over the past 15 years, it has built an impressive alumni network spanning exhibition, distribution, production and other sectors of the industry, with Fellows going on to make a lasting impact across the Australian screen industry. I encourage women working across both traditional and emerging screen sectors to apply and pursue bold professional development opportunities that will challenge them, expand their leadership and help shape the future of our industry.”
Key dates
- Applications open: now
- Applications close: Friday 4 September 2026, 5pm AEST
- Recipients announced: at the Australian International Movie Convention (AIMC), Gold Coast, Monday 26 October – Thursday 29 October 2026
How to apply
Full Fellowship guidelines and the application form are available HERE.
If you’re a woman working in traditional or emerging screen sectors with a bold vision for your professional development, (or you know someone who is), this is your invitation to apply!