The Western Australian Premier's Book Awards is open for entries, celebrating books published or self-published in 2021.
Join the likes of some of WA's magnificent writing talent like Sisonke Msimang, Amanda Curtin and A.J. Betts by applying for the $60,000 Western Australian Writer's Fellowship. The Fellowship is one of the most valuable awards in Australian arts.
Nominations are open for the following categories:
- The Western Australian Writer's Fellowship valued at $60,000. Designed to assist a WA writer in any genre to develop their writing practice.
- The Premier's Prize for Writing for Children valued at $15,000. This category recognises quality writing for children (aged 0-12) in any genre by an author or authors residing in WA and published in 2021. Self-published titles are eligible.
- The Premier's Prize for an Emerging Writer valued at $15,000. This category is for the first published work in any genre by an author residing in WA and published in 2021. Self-published titles are eligible.
- The Daisy Utemorrah Award for Unpublished Indigenous Junior and Young Adult Writing valued at $15,000 and a publishing contract with Magabala Books. For a new unpublished manuscript for a work of junior and young adult fiction, including graphic novels, by an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander writer Australia-wide.
The Daisy Utemorrah Award is administered by Broome-based Indigenous publisher Magabala Books with support from the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries.
Entries close January 21, 2022 and the winners will be announced at the State Library of Western Australia in June 2022.
Information about the Awards including how to enter is available on the State Library's website https://slwa.wa.gov.au
As stated by Culture and the Arts Minister David Templeman:
"Western Australia has an incredible depth of dedicated and talented writers. The Premier's Book Awards help Western Australians to discover our brilliant homegrown talent and to support our emerging authors.
"The State Library presents the Premier's Books Awards because it is the home of literature, history and education - not only preserving and collecting our past but protecting the future. Every day at our State Library, people are studying, researching and writing their next masterpiece."
