The Indigenous Storytellers Scholarship has announced its 2026 mentor line-up, with Samantha Harris and Casey Donovan among the creatives supporting this year's finalists.

The Façon Magazine initiative, supported by Greater Bank, is now in its fourth year and supports emerging Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander creatives across NSW.

The 2026 mentors include Samantha Harris (Dunghutti) in fashion, Casey Donovan (Gumbaynggirr and Dunghutti) in music, Damian Smith (Wonnarua) in dance, Rheanna Lotter (Yuin) in digital art, Saretta Fielding (Wonnarua) through Malang in art painting, Corin Corcoran (Weilwan) in accessory design, Warren Taggart (Wonnarua) in photography, Brendan Blacklock (Biripi and Ngarabal) in film, and Joshua Gilbert (Worimi) in writing.

Each mentor will work with one of the nine finalists, offering guidance, industry knowledge and support as they develop their creative practice.

Musician Casey Donovan reflected on the value of mentoring emerging creatives in Façon Magazine's 2025 Indigenous Storytellers Scholarship special edition.

"I think that through this mentorship, it's really important to have truth and honesty and transparency into what the world can be like, but also finding the positives," Ms Donovan said.

"I think throughout my career I've been able to find those positives and be able to step up, ask questions and grow.

"You're continuously growing in this industry, and I think that it's really important to have open doors and open conversations with people."

The program will award one recipient $10,000, while the eight other finalists will each receive $1,000 to support their creative pursuits.

All finalists will also receive one-on-one mentorship in their chosen fields, which include fashion, music, dance, writing, accessory design, film, art painting, digital art and photography.

Façon Australia Founder and Editor-in-Chief Lara Lupish said the program's growth was reflected in the mentors taking part.

"Each year, we see the scholarship evolve, and with that comes an incredible level of mentorship from creatives who are not only leaders in their industries, but passionate about giving back," Ms Lupish said.

"This program is about nurturing the next generation of Indigenous storytellers and ensuring their voices are seen, heard and supported."

NGM Group Head of Community and Sustainability Kirrah McClelland, of which Greater Bank is a part, said the finalists would benefit from the experience of First Nations creatives.

"The scholarship mentors are all leaders in their fields who have walked before them and know what it takes to be successful," Ms McClelland said.

"Each of the scholarship recipients are going to benefit immensely from receiving invaluable guidance and advice from fellow First Nations creatives who have a wealth of experience to share."

Applications close on 11 May 2026.

Finalists will be announced before a special event during NAIDOC Week, where the 2026 scholarship recipient will be revealed.