'Friday the 13th of May was a bad day for arts organisations in Australia. All over Twitter were bursts of emotion like fireworks – pledges of people subscribing for the first time to the likes of literary journals ‘Meanjin’ or ‘Voiceworks’, in a show of support after announcements of cuts to funding. If you aren’t already involved in the literary or arts scenes of Australia then these are probably organisations you haven’t heard of – but to emerging writers with fledgling talents, they are a means of nurturing their skill and passion. More than that, they provide empirical support in the form of fellowships and awards, as well as access to a supportive community, and, most importantly, they give emerging artists a voice.' (Introduction)
