Who We Are

MARION supports, connects and advocates for writers at all stages of their practice, locally and nationally. Based in Kamberri (Canberra), MARION is a not-for-profit, member-based organisation and registered charity working across the ACT and surrounding regions to foster a vibrant and connected writing community.

Since 1995, we have played a central role in shaping the region’s literary culture. Today, MARION operates as a distributed organisation, delivering programs, events and opportunities across multiple locations rather than from a single site.

We work with emerging, mid-career and established writers across all forms, offering professional development, creative opportunities and pathways to publication and public engagement. Through workshops, fellowships, prizes and public programs, we create space for experimentation, critical thinking and meaningful exchange. We support writing as both an individual practice and a shared cultural activity.

MARION is part of the National Writers Centre Network, connecting our work in the ACT and surrounding regions with writers’ centres across Australia. At the heart of our work is a commitment to building a sustainable, inclusive and thriving literary community.

Our History

MARION was established at Griffith Library in 1995 as the ACT Writers Centre, providing support, professional development and a meeting place for writers in the ACT. In 1998, the organisation relocated to Gorman House Arts Centre in Braddon, which remained its home and an important gathering place for the writing community for more than two decades.

In 2021, the organisation moved from a single physical home to a distributed model, presenting programs and events in venues and communities across Kamberri (Canberra) and the surrounding region.

The ACT Writers Centre now trades as MARION. The name marks a new chapter in the organisation’s history while retaining its longstanding commitment to supporting writers and strengthening literary culture in the ACT. Today, MARION continues to build on that legacy through professional development, creative opportunities, advocacy and public programs.

Lifetime Members

MARION’s Lifetime Members are recognised for their significant and enduring contributions to the organisation and its writing community. They include: