Ellen van Neerven

is a Mununjali Yugambeh writer and the author of Heat and Light and Comfort Food. Their new collection of poetry is Throat.

By this author

Culture May 09, 2020

Booker Prize-winner Bernardine Evaristo

Anglo–Nigerian author Bernardine Evaristo wrote seven books before her Booker Prize-winning novel, Girl, Woman, Other, catapulted her into the limelight. “I have done the work for people to now engage with it. It’s just the most incredible thing, because at my age – I’m 60 – to suddenly become an overnight success, is very exciting. It’s also a real moment of hope for people who have been writing for a long time and haven’t received the kind of attention they’d like to get. And also, for Black women, and Black British people.”

Poetry March 21, 2020

social isolation is an act of love

we scroll the news trying to figure out what’s to come looking at measures placed on other countries school closures city lockdowns individual freedoms we give up where will we be a day from now a week, a month six months from now? projections …

Culture April 18, 2020

are we one hundred years ago?

memorial for mass unmarked graves at Barambah-Cherbourg take me to that place where sky and ocean meet — I’ve been missing that place and tonight I will have that dream again — of our Shark with its fins sliced off, bleeding out — …

Poetry February 22, 2020

every small protest counts

in solidarity with the Shaheen Bagh women */ ACCOMPANY your children ADMINISTER biryani to those braving the cold and rain ADVOCATE for freedom “Aazadi!” the children cry APPLY music to the streets ASSUME those who are …

Poetry January 25, 2020

Paper ships, many fires

I know what you’re thinking how can we save the world? when we have barely …

Culture November 02, 2019

Rapper, poet and novelist Omar Musa

Through his one-man show Since Ali Died, Omar Musa has connected with audiences who have experienced ostracism. The rapper, novelist and poet speaks about the power of storytelling and the need for greater nuance in depictions of the Muslim community. “People come up to me after the show. Firstly, there are people really interested in having direct access to a young Muslim man growing up post-9/11. And then, secondly, there are those who relate to the outsider experience. I talk about a very specific intersection of race and religion – but try to make it relatable to all people who might feel a bit different.”

Portrait July 14, 2018

Musician Mojo Juju

Filipino Wiradjuri musician Mojo Juju talks about her new project Native Tongue and getting ahead in a homogenous industry.

Culture August 05, 2017

Filmmaker Amiel Courtin-Wilson

Almost a decade after making Bastardy with actor Jack Charles, filmmaker Amiel Courtin-Wilson refuses to see himself as a detached observer, instead drawing in his subjects as collaborators.

Portrait June 03, 2017

Artist Yhonnie Scarce

Artist Yhonnie Scarce captures the aftermath of Maralinga in her new exhibition Thunder Raining Poison.

Portrait April 22, 2017

Artist Claire Lambe

Artist Claire Lambe prepares an exhibition.

Fiction December 24, 2016

Sis better

A new short story from award-winning Indigenous author Ellen van Neerven.