The Victorian Premier's Literary Awards - established 24 years ago - celebrate and recognise the best of Australian writing in all its forms.
This year for the first time a $15,000 Prize for Best Music Theatre Script will be offered. This prize rewards excellence in Australian musical theatre and reflects the strength of musical theatre in Victoria. In this inaugural year scripts performed between 1 May 2006 to 30 April 2008 may be submitted.
Biennial prizes on offer this year are the $15,000 Prize for a First Book of History and the $15,000 Prize for Indigenous Writing.
Prizes offered in 2008 are:
· The Vance Palmer Prize for Fiction - $30,000
· The Nettie Palmer Prize for Non-fiction - $30,000
· The Louis Esson Prize for Drama - $15,000
· The Prize for Best Music Theatre Script - $15,000
(for works created between 1 May 2006 to 30 April 2008)
· The John Curtin Prize for Journalism - $15,000
· The Prize for Young Adult Fiction - $15,000
· The C J Dennis Prize for Poetry - $15,000
· The Alfred Deakin Prize for an Essay Advancing Public Debate - $15,000
· The Prize for a First Book of History - $15,000
(for works created between 1 May 2006 to 30 April 2008)
· The Grollo Ruzzene Foundation Prize for Writing about Italians in Australia - $15,000
· The Prize for an Unpublished Manuscript by an Emerging Victorian Writer - $15,000
(In addition to the monetary award, the Victorian Writers' Centre will provide 20 hours of professional assistance in a form to be negotiated with the winning author. The author must be a resident of Victoria).
· The Prize for Indigenous Writing - $15,000
(for works created between 1 May 2006 to 30 April 2008)
With the exceptions noted, the Awards are open to all Australians with works first published or performed between 1 May 2007 and 30 April 2008.
The Awards shortlist will be announced on Friday 8 August with the winners to be announced at Federation Square on Monday 1 September 2008.
The closing date for entries is Friday 2 May 2008.
The Victorian Premier's Literary Awards are administered by the State Library of Victoria. Entry forms and guidelines are available on the State Library of Victoria website at: slv.vic.gov.au/pla
