Literary Awards

ACT Book of the Year (1993 + ) 

The ACT Government, through the ACT Arts Fund administered by artsACT, has offered an ACT Book of the Year award since 1993.

The ACT Book of the Year recognises quality contemporary Australian literary works including fiction, non-fiction and poetry. 

To be eligible for the ACT Book of the Year the author must either reside in the ACT or strongly demonstrate an ACT literary practice, and the book must have been published in the calendar year preceding the year of nomination.
 
Winners of the ACT Book of the Year

ACT Book Reviewer of the Year (1993 -1996) 

The ACT Government awarded annual prizes to local reviewers from 1993 until about 1996.

Winners of the ACT Book Reviewer of the Year

ACT Creative Arts Fellowships (1995 + )

The ACT Government, through the ACT Arts Fund administered by artsACT, offers annually up to three Creative Arts Fellowship in any art form for artists that have achieved a level of excellence and demonstrate further creative growth. 

Writers resident in the ACT or who can strongly demonstrate an ACT arts practice are eligible to apply for this award. 

In 1995, only two Fellowships were available, one in literature and one in visual arts.  The ACT Creative Arts Fellowship (Literature succeeds the ACT Literary Award (1991-1994).  The ACT Creative Arts Fellowhip (Performing Arts) was offered for the first time in 1997.

Recpients of ACT Creative Arts Fellowships. 

ACT Literary Award (1991-1995)

The ACT Government began awarding fellowships and grants for literary activities in 1991. 

This award recognised literary achievements of writers in the Canberra region offering an established writer a degree of financial independence to concentrat on developing new skills and works. It was succeeded by the ACT Creative Arts Fellowships in 1995.

Winners and runners up for the ACT Literary Award

ACT Poetry Prize (2003 + ) 

The ACT Government, through the ACT Arts Fund administered by artsACT, has offered an ACT Poetry Prize since 2003.  In 2005, the prize was offered in four categories, three of which were open to non-ACT residents.

The Rosemary Dobson Award for an unpublished poem by an Australian poet
The David Campbell Award for an unpublished poem of no more than 28 lines by an ACT poet
The Judith Wright Award for a published collection by an Australian poet
The Alec Bolton Award for an unpublished manuscript by an Australian poet

Winners and shortlisted entries for the ACT Poetry Prize

ACT Writing and Publishing Awards (2004 + )

These awards recognise, reward and promote ACT-based writing and publishing.  They are administered by the ACT Writers Centre. 

To be eligible, titles must have been published (or self-published) during the previous calendar year; made available for sale; and published in book form with an ISBN.  Also, the writer and publisher must have been residing in the ACT or region at the time of publication and the publisher must have no more than five employees.

Winners of the ACT Writing and Publishishing Awards

ACT Writers Centre Poetry Awards (2002? + )

The prize is awarded to an original, unpublished poem not exceeding 50 lines by an emerging writer who lives permanently within the ACT or region.  The Award is administered by the ACT Writers Centre. 

Winning and highly commended poems are published in ACTWrite, the newsletter of the ACT Writers Centre and on the centre's website with the author's permission.  Copies of ACTWrite are available at the ACT Heritage Library, shelf location H A 820.3 ACTW.

List of winners and some winning entries on the ACT Writers Centre website

ACT Writers Centre Marjorie Graber-McInnis Short Story Award (2001? + )

The Marjorie Graber-McInnis Short Story award is administered by the  ACT Writers Centre.  It was established by Don McInnis to commemorate the wife of his wife, Marjorie, a local short story writer who passed away on 25 September 1997.

List of winners, shortlist and text of some winning entries on the ACT Writers Centre website

 
ANUTECH Literary Prize (1993-1998?)

Details soon.

Canberra Critics Circle Award (1991 + )

Details soon.

Canberra Times / Commonwealth Bank Young Writers Competition

Details soon.

Canberra Times Pat Rappolt Memorial Prize

Details soon.

Fellowship of Australian Writers ACT Short Story Competition

Details soon.

Fellowship of Australian Writers ACT Writers Competition

Details soon.

Ginninderra Press Short Story Competition (2000-2005)

Canberra based independent publisher, the Ginninderra Press, organises an annual short story competition for adults.  A different theme is selected each year.  Winning and short listed entries are published in an anthology.

List of anthologies and the names of winning and shortlisted entries.

Ginninderra Press Short Story Competition for Children (2002-2006)

Canberra based independent publisher, the Ginninderra Press, organises an annual short story competition for children aged 8-12 years.  A different theme is selected each year.  Winning and short listed entries are published in an anthology.

List of anthologies and the names of winning and shortlisted entries.

Lu Rees Fellowship (2001 + ?)

Julie Bradley won the inaugural fellowship in 2001.  She is a children's book illustrator.

MUSE / University of Canberra Review Competition

Details soon.

Marian Eldridge Award (1998 + )

Marian Eldridge made a lasting and important contribution to Australian literature. As well as publishing three books of short stories, a novel and poems to critical acclaim, she was also well known in the Canberra and Australian literary world for her talks and readings, her book reviews, and her work in adult education. She was the first ACT literature co-ordinator and had a major role in establishing the ACT Writers Centre.

Administered by the National Foundation of Australian Women, the NFAW Donor Fund makes a grant annually to an aspiring woman writer from the ACT or NSW for the purposes of professional development. 

University of Canberra National Short Story Competition

Details soon.