Introducing our Raising Voices Fellows for 2026
The Raising Voices Fellowship is delighted to announce the six Fellows selected for its fully-funded, career altering programme in 2026.
Over the next nine months, children’s and young people's artists Czacarri Muli, Grace Haynes, Ilona Lo Iacono, Mari Rolin, Nora Corcoran and Sarah Little will be connected to a welcoming community of practice and supported in developing their careers. As part of the Raising Voices programme, the Fellows will benefit from a host of creative and practical supports throughout the year.
What is the Raising Voices Fellowship?
Raising Voices aims to develop and support aspiring artists who make work for children and young adults and whose voices have been underrepresented in literature. The Fellowship aims to break down barriers to publication, progression and inclusion and to increase diversity and representation in the Irish literature sector for those whose voices have been underrepresented due to background or identity.
The creative and practical supports all six fellows will benefit from include:
- Mentorship with an experienced writer or illustrator
- A detailed critique from an editor/art director suited to the fellow’s practice
- A week-long residency at the Tyrone Guthrie Centre at Annaghmakerrig
- Access to a bespoke speaker series, bursary information clinic with the Arts Council, and various events and courses.
- Tools, information and guidance needed to finalise a manuscript or dummy, prepare work for submission, research the market, and apply for bursaries.
“Raising Voices is a vital programme for our sector and one we’re so proud to lead. We’re excited to welcome six aspiring writers and illustrators into the children’s books community this year and we hope that together we can continue to positively shape the landscape of Irish children’s books. With the expertise of our partners in this Fellowship, we will guide and advise our new Fellows, giving them the tools, skills and connections they need to take the next step towards publication.”
— Elaina Ryan, CEO of Children’s Books Ireland.
The Raising Voices Fellows 2026
Czacarri Muli
Czacarri Muli is an illustrator, designer and writer from Drogheda and is in his final year of Illustration at the National College of Art and Design, Dublin. He enjoys working in a range of subject matters, from illustrating colourful picturebooks to rendering more mature editorials.
Grace Haynes
Grace Haynes is a neurodivergent dyslexic illustrator based in Cork. She holds a BA (Hons) in Illustration from Ulster University. Her practice explores Ireland’s indigenous ecosystems, rooted in sustainable methodologies and material research. Her art celebrates the natural world.
Ilona Lo Iacono
Ilona Lo Iacono was born in Australia, and after moving back and forth across the world, she now lives in North County Dublin with her family. Lo Iacano enjoys writing middle grade fiction, and uses a humorous approach to address her lived experiences, including chronic and serious illnesses, disability, neurodivergence and immigrant life.
Mari Rolin
Mari Rolin is a Brazilian comic book author, illustrator and linguist based in Kerry. Rolin enjoys creating for both kids and adults, having established a special interest in slice of life, fantastic realism and horror, seeing in these genres powerful means for elaboration.
Nora Corcoran
Nora Corcoran is a children’s author, poet, and academic whose work is inspired by her rich Traveller heritage. Through her writing, she preserves and celebrates the traditions and culture of the Traveller community, helping ensure they are carried forward for future generations.
Sarah Little
Sarah Little is a writer and artist from West Fermanagh. She spent her childhood and teens wrapped up in reading and telling stories, and there discovered her dream of becoming an author. She has spent the past six years developing her young adult romance novel, with a speculative twist exploring themes of identity, art, and reality.
The Raising Voices Fellowship is led by a group of literature organisations including Children’s Books Ireland, Illustrators Ireland, Publishing Ireland, the Dublin Book Festival, West Cork Literary Festival and the Tyrone Guthrie Centre at Annaghmakerrig.
The Raising Voices Fellowship is led by Children’s Books Ireland and will run until November 2026.
