Story Factory

What Story Factory does

Story Factory is an Australian non-profit creative writing organization founded in 2012 in Redfern, New South Wales, dedicated to supporting young people from under-resourced communities to develop writing skills and become published authors. Its service mix centres on free, in-person and digital creative writing programs delivered through three physical centres — Redfern (the original Martian Embassy site, opened July 2012), Parramatta (opened 2018), and Bidwill in Mount Druitt (opened May 2026) — as well as in-school delivery across Western Sydney and a national digital workshop program launched in 2023. Core programs include Year of Poetry, Year of the Novella, school, after-school, holiday, and digital programs, with adjacent special projects such as Postcode Stories, the Write It Fellowship (in partnership with Penguin Random House Australia since 2012), a 10th Anniversary Writing Prize (sponsored by UBS), and the Plant-A-Poem stall at the Sydney Writers' Festival.

The underlying operating model is a publish-or-bust pedagogy: young writers progress from school and after-school workshops into year-long intensive programs that culminate in professionally produced novellas and poetry collections (30 books in 2022; 23 young people publishing 13 novellas and 10 poetry collections in 2025). Delivery is volunteer- and "Storyteller"-heavy, with a small paid executive team supported by an Aboriginal Engagement Manager, Indigenous Storyteller, dedicated fundraising function, and a formal Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan since May 2023. There is no proprietary software product; the technology substrate is limited to a volunteer management application (BetterImpact), Shopify-style online bookshop at shop.storyfactory.org.au, and video-conferencing for digital programs.

Story Factory's revenue model is donation- and grant-funded. Programs are free for participants; the organization is a registered charity with DGR-1 status (ABN 71 645 321 582), enabling tax-deductible giving via individual donations, the Inkwells monthly giving program, workplace giving through Good2Give, Benevity, and Catalyzer, Gifts in Wills bequests, and corporate partnerships. Recurring institutional funding is provided by the Balnaves Foundation, Ian Potter Foundation, Envato Foundation, Copyright Agency Cultural Fund, the Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation, and government bodies including Creative Australia, Create NSW, and the Australian Government Department of Social Services. A marginal transactional stream is generated through book sales via the online bookshop and Redfern storefront, and a new "Fee for Service" line signals a modest move toward earned income.

Name

Story Factory

Legal name

Story Factory Inc

Website

https://storyfactory.org.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Story Factory is an Australian non-profit creative writing organization founded in 2012 that delivers free school, after-school, holiday, and digital writing programs to young people from under-resourced communities across New South Wales through three centres in Redfern, Parramatta, and Bidwill.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Creative Writing Education

NAICS

Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers (5131), Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers (71151)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

Children’s & YA Writing Workshops (EDAMAMAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Creative Writing & Storytelling (Fiction, Poetry, Screenwriting) (EDAMAAAI), Writing Skills & Composition Enrichment (EDAMAJAC)

Keywords

• Creative writing programs
• Youth literacy education
• Community writing workshops
• School writing programs
• Youth publishing mentorship

Headquarters

HQ city

Redfern

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Philanthropy: Individual donations, monthly giving program (Inkwells), foundation grants, corporate partnerships, and workplace giving through platforms like Good2Give, Benevity, and Catalyzer. Gifts in wills bequests also supported.
2. Government Grants: Funding from Australian Government through Creative Australia, NSW Government through Create NSW, and Australian Government Department of Social Services.
3. Book Sales: Sale of student-published books through online bookshop (shop.storyfactory.org.au) and physical shopfront in Redfern.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Story Factory is a not-for-profit organization that delivers free creative writing programs to young people from under-resourced communities. Its core offerings include school programs, after-school programs, holiday programs, year-long Year of Poetry and Year of the Novella programs, and nationally delivered digital programs, all culminating in professionally published works by young authors.

Product overview

Story Factory is a not-for-profit creative writing organization for young people from under-resourced communities. The organization operates as a platform of interconnected programs including: core writing programs (Year of Poetry, Year of the Novella, School Programs, After-School Programs, Holiday Programs, Digital Programs); special projects (Postcode Stories, Write It Fellowship, Writing Prize, Plant-A-Poem); and support programs (Gift in Wills, Inkwells monthly giving). The core programs work together as a progression pathway - school programs introduce young people to creative writing, after-school and holiday programs offer ongoing engagement, and the year-long Year of Poetry and Year of the Novella programs support dedicated young writers to become published authors. Digital Programs extend reach nationally. The organization maintains physical centers in Redfern, Parramatta, and Bidwill (Mount Druitt), with a themed sub-brand identity (Martian Embassy) for the original Redfern location.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Year of the Novella A year-long program supporting high school-aged young people to write an extended story (novella) over the course of a year, culminating in professional publication of their work.
• Year of Poetry A year-long program supporting young people to write and publish their own poetry collections, with workshops led by professional poets and culminating in professional publication.
• School Programs In-school creative writing workshops delivered by Story Factory storytellers, partnering with schools across Sydney and Western Sydney to run term-long programs.
• After-School Programs Free after-school creative writing workshops held at Story Factory centres, offering young people ongoing weekly sessions to develop their writing skills.
• Holiday Programs School holiday workshops offering one-off creative writing sessions for primary and high school students during breaks.
• Digital Programs Online creative writing workshops delivered nationally via video conference, allowing Story Factory to reach young people outside Sydney, grounded in a pedagogical framework ensuring consistent literacy outcomes.
• Postcode Stories A special project working with schools across Western Sydney where students create extended fiction, non-fiction or poetry inspired by their local area, guided by published authors, culminating in professionally published anthologies.
• Write It Fellowship A fellowship program run in partnership with Penguin Random House Australia, providing mentorship opportunities with professional writers for young people.
• 10th Anniversary Writing Prize A writing competition generously sponsored by UBS, open to young writers who do not often see themselves or their lives reflected in books and media, with cash prizes and mentorship opportunities.
• Plant-A-Poem An interactive stall at the Sydney Writers' Festival where young poets write personalized poems for visitors based on their hopes and dreams, paired with seeds to plant.
• Writers in Residence Program A program offering emerging to established writers a safe, inclusive place to write at Story Factory centres.

Quantifiable outcome

• Young people become published authors and poets
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered major partner, key partner, in-kind partner, strategic partner, principal partner and supporting partner.

• Penguin Random House Australiamajor partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince 2012, PRH editors provide editorial support for Year of the Novella students. Offers work experience and paid internships to Story Factory alumni. One student now works in PRH marketing department.
• Multicultural NSWkey partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner supporting programs in Fairfield and Liverpool, reaching 120+ young people from multicultural backgrounds in 2023.
• Gilbert + Tobinin-kind partnerImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLegal firm providing pro bono legal support including recommended wording for wills and legal advice.
• The Hive (Bidwill)strategic partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerPlace-based impact initiative sharing space with Story Factory Bidwill centre. Co-location partnership for community impact.
• University of Sydneyprincipal partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Year of Poetry and Year of the Novella programs. Hosts book launches at the university. Provides venue and academic support.
• State Library of NSWkey partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with Story Factory and NASCA on programs for Aboriginal young people.
• National Aboriginal Sporting Chance Academy (NASCA)key partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with Story Factory and State Library of NSW for Aboriginal youth programs.
• Good2Givesupporting partnerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWorkplace giving platform enabling employees to donate to Story Factory through their workplace.
• Benevitysupporting partnerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWorkplace giving platform for corporate employee donations.
• Catalyzersupporting partnerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWorkplace giving platform for employee workplace giving programs.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Express Media: Express Media is an Australian non-profit that supports young people aged 14-25 in creative writing, publishing, and media production. It targets the same youth demographic with similar creative writing and publishing pathways.
• Indigenous Literacy Foundation: The Indigenous Literacy Foundation is an Australian non-profit that addresses literacy needs in remote Indigenous communities through book supply and publishing programs. It overlaps with Story Factory in the Australian literacy/creative writing non-profit space and shares the First Nations engagement mission.
• 826 National: 826 National is a US non-profit network of writing and tutoring centers that provide free creative writing support to under-resourced students aged 6-18, culminating in student publication. It is the closest international analogue to Story Factory's model.
• 100 Story Building: 100 Story Building is a Melbourne-based creative writing center for young people aged 8-18, focused on under-resourced and culturally diverse communities, with a model very similar to Story Factory's center-based workshops and student publishing.

Emerging players

• The Song Room: The Song Room is a non-profit delivering free creative arts programs (with a music focus) to disadvantaged Australian schools. It is comparable as a parallel arts-education non-profit targeting under-resourced students, though it focuses on music rather than writing.
• Books in Homes Australia: Books in Homes Australia is a charity that provides books to children from low-income and remote families, addressing literacy inequality. It is comparable in the Australian children's literacy non-profit space with a related mission around access to books and writing for under-resourced youth.
• Australian Theatre for Young People (ATYP): ATYP is an Australian non-profit that delivers theatre-based creative programs to young people, including under-represented communities. It is comparable as a youth arts education non-profit operating nationally, though focused on theatre rather than writing.
• First Nations Australia Writers' Network (FNAWN): FNAWN supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander writers, editors, and publishers in Australia. It is comparable to Story Factory's First Nations writing and publishing work, particularly the Reconciliation Action Plan and Indigenous storytelling programs.

Broad incumbents

• Bell Shakespeare: Bell Shakespeare is one of Australia's largest performing arts companies, running extensive education and outreach programs in schools. It is comparable as a major Australian arts education organization with school-based delivery and government funding relationships.
• Room to Read: Room to Read is a large international non-profit focused on literacy and gender equality in education, including publishing local-language children's books. It is a broader-scale comparator in the children's literacy and publishing non-profit space.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@sydstoryfactory
• Facebookfacebook.com/SydneyStoryFactory
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/story-factory-australia
• Instagraminstagram.com/sydneystoryfactory

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds4 records

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Story Factory