John Truscott Design Foundation and University of Melbourne
Fellowship to prepare a manuscript biography of John Truscott

This proposal results from the partnership of the Trustees of the John Truscott Design Foundation (JTDF)
and the University of Melbourne to commission a manuscript celebrating John Truscott (1936–1993).
Fellowship sum: $25,000.

The Project
The John Truscott Design Foundation and the University of Melbourne wish to celebrate the life and
contribution of John Truscott in a biography that brings to life his energy and skill. The manuscript should
inspire others with creative talent to pursue careers that can make a difference. It needs to capture the
skilful way that Truscott managed his many projects, and the political interests that surrounded them, most
of which would have proved too daunting for other designers and directors.

While JTDF wishes the project to celebrate the life and contribution of John Truscott, by looking back, it is
essential that the project is not simply a retrospective ‘remember when’ manuscript. It is important to
place Truscott’s contributions in an historical context, a contemporary context and demonstrate how they
continue to resonate and influence the cultural life of Melbourne.

Key themes include:
• the historical context in which Truscott was living and working and how this has evolved to the
present day, e.g. community, government/institutional attitudes, appetite, support for arts and
design;
• a multi-faceted career covering numerous creative disciplines;
• a multi-disciplinary approach;
• creative entrepreneurship and the ability to realise ambitious and complex goals;
• acting as a creative catalyst, identifying and developing creative talent;
• making arts accessible to broader public;
• creating social environments celebrating arts/creativity; and
• an enduring legacy of creative and cultural influence and inspiration, e.g. descendant activities
including M Pavilion, White Night, etc.

The Fellowship
To prepare a manuscript the Fellow will be based at the University of Melbourne. A selection panel
including two members of the Board of Trustees of the John Truscott Design Foundation would choose the
Fellow from the field of applicants. The period of the Fellowship would be approximately six months from
the date of appointment.

The University of Melbourne will provide the Fellow with full borrowing rights, access to online resources
and facilitate access to records and archives held by other institutions, in particular the Victorian Arts
Centre Performing Arts Collection, and the State Library of Victoria.

Further information:
See attached pdf or contact:
Susie Shears
Cultural Collections Co-ordinator
University of Melbourne
Telephone +61 3 8344 0269
Email sshears@unimelb.edu.au