Stella Schools – Story Sessions: Melbourne
Meet the storytellers shaping Australia’s literary future: an exclusive opportunity for highschoolers to meet the 2026 Stella Prize authors
Date: Thursday, March 12, 2026
Time: 10AM-2PM
Location: The Capitol, 113 Swanston Street, Melbourne, VIC 3000
Tickets: Available here, through Eventbrite. This event is FREE to attend, but bookings are essential.
In 2026 we’re taking the Stella Prize across Australia, with prize night events in three major Australian cities to celebrate the year’s most powerful and compelling books nominated for the Stella Prize.
In conjunction with the Longlist announcement, we are hosting a Stella Schools: Story Session in Melbourne on Thursday 12 March 2026.
Join Stella for a FREE one-day literary educational event, where secondary school students can hear directly from critically acclaimed women and non-binary authors as they discuss their books, writing processes, inspirations and careers.
These sessions offer a unique opportunity for students to deepen their literary understanding, explore future possibilities, and connect with the ideas at the forefront of contemporary Australian literature.
The event is suitable for highschoolers of all age groups, with a particular focus on years 9-10.
They will facilitate conversations that spark literacy: curiosity, creativity and critical thinking. Interactive Q&A sessions will encourage active participation in English by prompting students to ask questions, and deepen their understanding through rich discussion of themes, characters and the big ideas in the year’s most excellent Australian books.
Speakers
Sophie Gee
Sophie Gee is inaugural Vice Chancellor’s Fellow at the University of Sydney, co-leading the Campus Collaboration initiative, amplifying public trust in university communities and academic knowledge. Her focus is on the social impact of arts and humanities. She speaks worldwide at arts and literary festivals about why books and humanities matter more than ever.
Sophie is also a professor of English at Princeton University, where she teaches literary history from Beowulf to Jane Austen, as well as classes on contemporary fiction and creative writing. She’s the author of scholarly monographs about the origins of the novel and the history of waste in the eighteenth century, and the widely translated and acclaimed historical novel The Scandal of the Season.
She writes regularly for The New York Times, the TLS, the Washington Post and the Sydney Morning Herald, among other places.
Jaclyn Crupi
Jaclyn Crupi is a book editor, event moderator, awards judge and bookseller. She has worked in publishing and bookselling since 2002. Jaclyn has written numerous books for both children and adults. Her book, Garden Like a Nonno, was shortlisted for an Indie Book Award and longlisted for an Australian Book Industry Award. Her most recent children’s book, The ABC Kids Guide to Loving the Planet, won the Environment Award for Children’s Literature. Jaclyn’s work has appeared in The Guardian, SBS Voices, At Home, The Canberra Times, PIP Magazine and Frankie, as well as the anthology Family published by Text Publishing. Her latest book is called Planting for Native Birds, Bees and Butterflies.
Each session includes three one-hour talks designed to mirror school timetables and class length.
Talks include
- Author in conversation with a moderator, and book readings
- Critical conversations about the themes, characters and stories in the year’s Stella-listed titles
- Insights into writing and related careers and pathways
- Open forums for students to ask questions and engage in discussion
- Book signings – books will be available for purchase before, and at the event
Event Schedule
- 9.30am – doors open, registrations begin
- 10am – Talk 1: 2026 Stella listed author in conversation with Sophie Gee
- 11am – Morning tea break
- 11.30am – Talk 2: 2026 Stella listed author in conversation with Jaclyn Crupi
- 12.30pm – Lunch break
- 1pm – Talk 3: 2026 Stella listed author in conversation with Jaclyn Crupi
- 2pm – Event finishes, book signings available.
Accessibility and Venue
For more information about accessible entrances, parking, toilets, seating and hearing loop, please visit RMIT’s website here, or contact education@stella.org.au.
Please refer to the ticketing site for further information about getting to the venue, and FAQ’s about this event.
This program is proudly supported by:
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