Media Release

Premier’s Literary Awards - Call for Entries

Authors and publishers are now invited to submit entries to the prestigious Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards 2007. A total of $195,000 will be awarded to established and emerging writers across eleven categories - among them Australia's richest prizes in the categories of non-fiction writing and journalism.

The Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards - established 23 years ago - celebrate and recognise the best of Australian writing in all its forms.

The $15,000 biennial prize for Science Writing will be offered this year. This prize is will be awarded to an outstanding popular science book written for non-specialist readers. The prize aims to encourage discussion and understanding of scientific ideas in the wider community, nurture a culture of innovation in Victoria through support of scientific endeavour, and encourage the writing of popular science books for non-specialist readers by providing direct financial support for writers of the genre.

Prizes offered in 2007 are:

• The Vance Palmer Prize for Fiction - $30,000
• The Nettie Palmer Prize for Non-fiction - $30,000 (Australia’s richest prize for non-fiction)
• The John Curtin Prize for Journalism - $15,000 (Australia’s richest prize for journalism)
• The Prize for Young Adult Fiction - $15,000
• The C J Dennis Prize for Poetry - $15,000
• The Louis Esson Prize for Drama - $15,000
• The Alfred Deakin Prize for an Essay Advancing Public Debate - $15,000
• The Village Roadshow Prize for Screen Writing - $15,000
• The Prize for Science Writing - $15,000 (for works published between 1 May 2005 to 30 April 2007)
• The Grollo Ruzzene Foundation Prize for Writing about Italians in Australia – 15,000
• The Prize for an Unpublished Manuscript by an Emerging Victorian Writer - $15,000 (In addition to the monetary award, the Victorian Writers’ Centre will provide 20 hours of professional assistance in a form to be negotiated with the winning author. The author must be a resident of Victoria).

With the exceptions noted, the Awards are open to all Australians with works first published or performed between 1 May 2006 and 30 April 2007.

The Awards shortlist will be announced on Friday 10 August, with the winners to be announced at a dinner at Zinc, Federation Square on Monday 3 September.

The closing date for entries is Friday 4 May 2007.

The Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards are administered by the State Library of Victoria. Entry forms and guidelines are available on the State Library of Victoria website.

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

Media inquiries

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