Applications for the 2017 Lord Mayor’s Creative Writing Awards open today featuring a new category: the Life Writing Award for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander authors.
Lord Mayor Robert Doyle said the new award will recognise outstanding work that documents, discusses or highlights a uniquely Victorian story of Australia’s First People. “This new award will provide an important platform for Victoria’s Aboriginal writers to showcase their work, and supports the City of Melbourne’s commitment to understanding and promoting our Aboriginal cultural heritage,” said the Lord Mayor.
“As a UNESCO City of Literature, we take great pride in nurturing emerging creative talent from all walks of life and helping to launch the careers of our gifted writers. It is crucial that the City of Melbourne continues to support the storytellers of our city for future generations.”
The five other categories in the biennial Lord Mayor’s Creative Writing Awards are short story, the Dorothy Porter Award for Poets, novella, graphic short story and narrative non-fiction.
Winning entries for each category will receive a $2000 category prize. The overall winner of the Lord Mayor’s Creative Writing Award, which the Lord Mayor will select from a shortlist made up of the winners of each of the six categories, will be awarded an additional $10,000.
“Writers and artists express themselves in diverse and interesting ways, and I am looking forward to reading the works of Melbourne’s unpublished writers,” added the Lord Mayor. “I will be looking for an original and accomplished piece of writing. Regardless of the topic or format, it’s important that the themes and ideas being explored are well thought out and that the piece feels fully resolved.
“Last year’s winner, Lucasz Dziadkiewicz, produced a graphic short story that was not only beautifully presented but also deeply moving. I hope I am equally impressed this year.”
Applications are now open, and close 31 August 2017. For further information, visit: www.melbourne.vic.gov.au for details.
Image: Architectural Fragment by Petrus Spronk