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Belvoir has announced Yuwaalaraay actor, screenwriter, and playwright Hannah Belanszky as the latest Balnaves Foundation Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Fellow, after a record number of entries. Hannah will receive $45,000 over an 18-month period to create a new work as a resident artist at Belvoir in 2025/26.

The Balnaves Fellowship is open for playwrights to write a new play or for writers and directors to lead the creation of an Indigenous-led stage work, whether that be a new play, an adaptation or through a devised process. It also includes an invitation to have a voice in Belvoir’s artistic decision-making. 

The Fellowship has long been recognised as one of the most prestigious theatre awards in Australia, attracting entrants of the highest calibre. Previous recipients (including Guy Simon, Dalara Williams, Leah Purcell, Nakkiah Lui, Kodie Bedford, Nathan Maynard, and Thomas Weatherall) have created exceptional works that consistently affirm the depth of talent amongst our nation’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander theatre-makers.

Belanszky’s new play CLAIR tells the story of Claire – a woman who develops a secret addiction to phone readings with her clairvoyant, John, who she is sort of, maybe, falling in love with. This is problematic for two reasons. Firstly, she can’t keep affording it. Secondly, she just got engaged to someone else. Hannah will continue to develop CLAIR as part of her Fellowship at Belvoir.

Hannah Belanszky was born on Yuwaalaraay country, completing her actor training at Southbank Institute of Technology, Brisbane. Her debut play don’t ask what the bird look like premiered at Queensland Theatre and was a finalist for the 2024 Nick Enright Prize for Playwriting, the 2019 Queensland Premier’s Drama Award, and the Lord Mayor’s Award for Best New Australian Work.

In 2024 Hannah’s play Saplings, directed by Balnaves Associate Abbie-Lee Lewis, was commissioned by Australian Theatre for Young People, premiering as part of Sydney Festival to critical acclaim.

Some of Hannah’s other impressive theatre credits include co-writing QUT Acting’s Tight in the Bud and co-writing Rising for Playlab Theatre and Metro Arts. She also wrote, directed and performed The Wives of Wolfgang, which won Best Cabaret at the Adelaide Fringe weekly awards, with seasons also at Fringe World Perth and Brisbane Powerhouse. Hannah was also selected by Netflix for the GROW CREATIVE writers program. 

Hamish Balnaves, CEO of The Balnaves Foundation said, “Congratulations to Hannah Belanzsky on being awarded the 2025 Balnaves Fellowship at Belvoir St Theatre! Through our partnership with Belvoir, the Foundation is proud to support the next generation of Indigenous theatre makers to create new works that enrich and inspire us through diverse storytelling. We are excited to see what Hannah will be able to achieve in her creative process through the Fellowship.’’

Additional information can be found on the Belvoir website: https://belvoir.com.au/for-artists/fellowship-and-residencies/

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