The NSW Premier’s Literary Awards have been announced by the Acting Premier for NSW and Minister for the Arts, the Hon Troy Grant MP, at the State Library of NSW, with a total of $310,000 presented across 13 prizes.
“These Awards celebrate and honour Australia’s greatest living writers, and on behalf of the NSW Government I would like to congratulate all the shortlisted authors and winners for 2015,” said Acting Premier for NSW Troy Grant. “Through these prestigious awards we also acknowledge the vital work of our translators, and I am thrilled the inaugural Multicultural NSW Early Career Translator Prize is being presented this year.”
One of the big winners of the night was Don Watson whose book The Bush won Book of the Year ($10,000) and Douglas Stewart Prize for Non-fiction ($40,000). David Williamson AO was also honoured, receiving the Special Award for his prodigious output across theatre, film or television.
The 2015 NSW Premier’s Literary Award Winners are:
Book of the Year ($10,000)
The Bush – Don Watson (Penguin Books Australia)
Christina Stead Prize for Fiction ($40,000)
The Snow Kimono – Mark Henshaw (Text Publishing)
UTS Glenda Adams Award for New Writing ($5,000 – sponsored by UTS)
An Elegant Young Man – Luke Carman (Giramondo Publishing)
Douglas Stewart Prize for Non-fiction ($40,000)
The Bush – Don Watson (Penguin Books Australia)
Kenneth Slessor Prize for Poetry ($30,000)
Earth Hour – David Malouf (University of Queensland Press)
Patricia Wrightson Prize for Children’s Literature ($30,000)
Joint winners: Figgy in the World – Tamsin Janu (Omnibus/Scholastic Australia) / Crossing – Catherine Norton (Omnibus/Scholastic Australia)
Ethel Turner Prize for Young People’s Literature ($30,000)
The Cracks in the Kingdom – Jaclyn Moriarty (Pan Macmillan Australia)
Betty Roland Prize for Scriptwriting ($30,000)
The Babadook – Jennifer Kent (Causeway Films)
Nick Enright Prize for Playwriting ($30,000)
Black Diggers – Tom Wright (Queensland Theatre Company)
The NSW Premier’s Prize for Translation ($30,000)
Brian Nelson
2015 Multicultural NSW
Black and Proud: The story of an AFL photo – Matthew Klugman and Gary Osmond (NewSouth Books)
Multicultural NSW Early Career Translator Prize (NEW PRIZE) ($5,000)
Lilit Zekulin Thwaites
Special Award ($10,000)
David Williamson AO
“Proudly celebrating the literary achievements of the nation’s authors, poets, translators, playwrights and screenwriters this year’s NSW Premier’s Literary Awards shortlist represents the very best in Australian writing,” said Senior Judge, Ross Grayson Bell.
“Selected by a panel of their peers, from over 500 entries, across 13 prizes, the nominated writers present a diversity of ideas and a confidence of voice that is both dazzling and provocative. The writers’ masterful storytelling skills and clarity of expression raise the bar in setting the standard in Australian literature.”
“We honour their distinguished accomplishments and praise the NSW Government’s unwavering commitment to acknowledging and rewarding their endeavours while at the same time broadening public engagement with the arts.”
For more information, visit: www.sl.nsw.gov.au for details.
Image: The Bush – Don Watson (Penguin Books Australia)