Media Release

Victorian Premier's Literary Awards 2009 - Call for Entries

Writers and publishers are now invited to submit entries to the prestigious 2009 Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards. A total of $195,000 will be awarded to established and emerging writers across eleven categories in one of Australia's richest and most diverse writing prizes.

The Premier's Literary Awards were established 25 years ago and are part of the Victorian Government's commitment to supporting writers and writing and raising the profile of literature in the State. Victoria's literary strengths were recognised internationally last year when Melbourne was designated a UNESCO City of Literature.

On offer this year is the biennial Prize for Science Writing. This prize for a popular science book for non-specialist readers aims to encourage discussion and understanding of scientific ideas in the wider community.

The richest prizes in the 2009 pool are the Vance Palmer Prize for Fiction and the Nettie Palmer Prize for Non-fiction, each offering a $30,000 prize.

In 2009 the fiction judges will have the option of shortlisting up to five titles (previously three), reflecting the quality and growing number of entries in this category in recent years.

• The Vance Palmer Prize for Fiction - $30,000
• The Nettie Palmer Prize for Non-fiction - $30,000
• The CJ Dennis Prize for Poetry - $15,000
• The Louis Esson Prize for Drama - $15,000
• The Prize for Young Adult Fiction - $15,000
• The Alfred Deakin Prize for an Essay Advancing Public Debate - $15,000
• The Prize for an Unpublished Manuscript by an Emerging Victorian Writer* - $15,000
• The Grollo Ruzzene Foundation Prize for Writing about Italians in Australia - $15,000
• The John Curtin Prize for Journalism - $15,000
• The Prize for Best Music Theatre Script - $15,000
• The Prize for Science Writing* - $15,000
  (for books published between 1 May 2007 and 30 April 2009)

With the exceptions noted (*), the Awards are open to all Australians with works first published or performed between 1 May 2008 and 30 April 2009.

The Awards shortlist will be announced on Friday 7 August 2009 with the winners to be announced at a celebratory dinner at Federation Square on Tuesday 1 September 2009.

The closing date for entries is Friday 1 May 2009.

The Awards are administerd by the State Library of Victoria, and entry forms and guidelines are available on the Victorian Premier's Literary Awards page of the State Library website.

For additional information contact Claire Smiddy (03) 8664 7277 or email pla@slv.vic.gov.au.

Notes for editors

• The Victorian Premiers Literary Awards were inaugurated by the Victorian Government in 1985 to honour literary achievement by Australian writers. 1985 was also the centenary of the births of Vance and Nettie Palmer.
• The Awards are administered by the State Library of Victoria on behalf of the Premier of Victoria.
• The Awards recognise and reward excellence in Australian literature, ideas, innovation and learning.
• The winner of the 2008 Vance Palmer Prize for Fiction was Helen Garner for The Spare Room and the winner of the 2008 Nettie Palmer Prize for Non-fiction was Meredith Hooper for The Ferocious Summer: Palmer’s Penguins and the Warming of Antarctica. A full list of 2008 winning and shortlisted writers is available from the Victorian Premier's Literary Awards page on the State Library of Victoria website.
• In 2008 the Victorian Premier's Literary Awards received 653 entries across 12 categories, the second highest number of entries in the program's history.
• One of the most popular awards is the Prize for an Unpublished Manuscript by an Emerging Victorian Writer. All six authors shortlisted for this prize in 2006 and 2007 have gone on to receive commercial publishing contracts.
• Melbourne is a UNESCO City of Literature and part of the UNESCO Creative Cities network.
• More than $2 Million in prizes have been awarded by the Victorian Premier's Literary Awards since their establishment in 1985.

Media enquiries

Matthew van Hasselt
Media relations coordinator
State Library of Victoria
Ph: 03 8664 7263
Email: mvanhasselt@slv.vic.gov.au