10 October 2025
Proudly supported by the James & Diana Ramsay Foundation and valued at up to $7,500, our Helpmann Fellowships are self–driven and specific to emerging artists from all creative disciplines. This fellowship empowers recipients to execute projects with lasting impact while supporting their professional growth and development.
Huge congratulations to the following Helpmann Academy Fellowships 2025 recipients!
Connor Pullinger @connorpullinger
Connor Pullinger graduated from Flinders Drama Centre with First-Class Honours in Acting. Notable works include OLIVER in Sophie Hyde + Closer Productions’ AACTA Award–winning mini-series The Hunting. In 2024, he starred in SAPOL’s nation-wide TVC campaign. His work has screened at festivals such as Adelaide Film Festival, Cannes Film Festival SFC, Filmapalooza Seattle, Flickerfest, Melbourne Queer Film Festival, and more. Two recent works are both in consideration for the 2025 AACTA Best Short Film Award. Connor also stars as a cast member in Guttercat, which was previewed as a trailer at the inaugural Helpmann Academy Graduate Filmmaker Showcase 2025, where he was MC for the evening. Guttercat is to be screened at the Adelaide Film Festival, where it has been nominated for a Short Film Award. Beyond the screen, Connor starred in The CRAM Collective’s (Helpmann Creative Innovator 2022 recipients) 5-star theatre production FAG/STAG in 2024. In 2026, Connor will appear in The Importance of Being Earnest with State Theatre Company South Australia.
“This opportunity will be instrumental in the continuation of my journey to become a multi-hyphenate creative. I am particularly grateful to the Helpmann Academy for their support, as I develop and expand my artistic skill set through the film project, ‘First Suit’.”
Connor Pullinger, Helpmann Fellowship recipient 2025
Jarrah Murphy @jarrahmurphy @crackedlightfilms
Jarrah Murphy is a filmmaker practising on Kaurna Land and a member of Cracked Light Films, a collective dedicated to contemporary Australian cinema. He produced the 2023 short film ‘Bulldog’, which screened at various prestigious festivals including Adelaide Film Festival and Flickerfest, and also has over 100k views on YouTube. Other credits include producing upcoming shorts ‘Deep Blue’ and ‘Road at the End of the World’, First AD on feature film ‘River’, and First AD / Associate Producer on feature film ‘Rewilder’. Jarrah also works as a director across fiction and non-fiction, with directorial credits including short doco ‘Face to Face’, and experimental short ‘Swamp People’.
“This fellowship will provide me with an invaluable experience to work with top of their game artists I would not usually have the chance to. It is an opportunity to expand critical networks that will help me elevate as a filmmaker. I am very grateful and excited to get started on post-production and distribution of my film, which will help me grow into the next exciting stage in my career.”
Jarrah Murphy, Helpmann Fellowship recipient 2025
Bryan May @bryanmayglass
Bryan May is a Kaurna- Adelaide based glass artist whose work delves into autobiographical, abstract, and conceptual themes, exploring the materiality of glass to express notions of absence and presence. His creations invite viewers to engage personally, interpreting the art through their own perspectives or simply appreciating its visual appeal. Bryan likes to play with opposite or opposing force like hot and cold, tension and compression. Bryan recently returned from Pilchuck Glass School in Washington, USA, where he engaged in transformative sessions led by renowned artists. Immersed in a global community of creatives, he spent his time refining his technical skills, exploring new directions, and drawing inspiration from diverse artistic practices.
“The Helpmann Fellowship will be pivotal in advancing my development as a contemporary glass artist. My practice explores materiality, absence and presence, and the interplay of light and shadow. While drawn from personal narratives, my works invite audiences to find their own meaning, emphasising glass as both material and metaphor. This Fellowship will provide the stability to pursue ambitious projects, and expand my practice beyond current limitations. Building on recent achievements—including the Square Holes Award, Helpmann Elevate Mentorship, University of South Australia half Scholarship to Pilchuck Glass School—it will allow me to take creative risks and develop new bodies of work. Importantly, the Fellowship will strengthen my capacity to contribute back to South Australia’s glass and contemporary art community through future exhibitions. The Helpmann Fellowship will secure the sustainability and growth of my artistic career.”
Bryan May, Helpmann Fellowship recipient 2025
Helpmann Fellowships are proudly supported by the James & Diana Ramsay Foundation.
Image credits: (1) Bryan May, Image by W. Mamot. (2) Connor Pullinger, shot by Andrea Rizos. (3) Jarrah Murphy, Image by Emily McDonald.