2011 Prime Minister's Literary Awards Open [11.01.2011]
Arts Minister Simon Crean today announced the new-look Prime Minister’s Literary Awards will open on 10 January. Entries must be received by the Office for the Arts by 5.00 pm on 2 February 2011.
The Awards are Australia’s richest literary prizes, which recognise and reward excellence in Australian literature.
Following feedback from the book industry we have redesigned the Awards to provide greater recognition for shortlisted authors. The overall prize money remains the same in 2011 with $100,000 for each of the four categories. This year the winning book attracts a tax-free prize of $80,000 with $5000 going to each of a maximum of four shortlisted titles in each of the award categories.
We are also implementing an annual timetable for the Awards. Entries will open in January each year, with shortlists revealed in May and winners announced the first week of July.
In 2011, Minister Crean will announce the shortlists in the week of 23 to 27 May and the Prime Minister will announce the winners in the week of 4 to 8 July.
Australian authors, publishers and literary agents are invited to submit fiction and non-fiction works published in 2010 for review by the judging panels.
The eligibility criteria in the Awards guidelines have been updated since last year. For example, books primarily published as e-books are now eligible, and wordless picture books are eligible in the children’s fiction category. We encourage anyone considering entering the Awards to read the guidelines carefully before submitting your entry.
The 2010 judging panels are returning in 2011. The judges will recommend shortlists and winners for each of the four categories—for adult fiction, young adult fiction, children’s fiction and non-fiction—to the Prime Minister.
For further information on the Awards visit www.arts.gov.au/pmliteraryawards. The guidelines and entry form are available on the website now.
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