7 January 2011 Press Release
The new-look Prime Minister's Literary Awards - Australia's richest literary prizes which recognise and reward excellence in Australian literature - open on 10 January.
Arts Minister Simon Crean announced an update to the format for the awards, including changes to the prize money allocation and a new annual timetable.
Mr Crean said the time was right for a fresh approach as the awards, now in their fourth year, need to keep evolving to meet the literary community's and book industry's expectations and to fulfil the Government's commitment to championing and promoting Australian literature and writers.
"These awards recognise the outstanding literary talent in our country and acknowledge the valuable contribution authors make to our cultural identity. The Federal Government is delighted to support Australian writers through the Prime Minister's Literary Awards and in doing so, raise the profile of great literature," Mr Crean said.
"The changes I am announcing today will extend this recognition and support to more Australian writers.
"In response to feedback from the book industry, the Government has redesigned the awards to give greater recognition to shortlisted authors.
"The overall prize money remains the same in 2011 with $100,000 for each of the four categories.
"This year there will be five short-listed authors for each category and the winner will receive $80,000 and the remaining short-listed authors will receive $5000 each. In previous years all the prize money went to the category winner and the remaining short-listed authors received no payment.
"With the annual timetable for the awards, entries are to open in January each year, with shortlists being revealed in May and winners announced in July," Mr Crean said.
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 early July.
"This timing for announcing the shortlists and winners provides the awards with a fixed home in the literary calendar and helps further cement the awards as an important part of the Australian literary landscape.
"It also allows Australian writers and publishers to maximise the impact of their work being shortlisted for, or winning, a Prime Minister's Literary Award both within Australia and internationally," Mr Crean said.
Mr Crean invited Australian authors, publishers and literary agents to submit fiction and non-fiction works published in 2010 for review by the judging panels.
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.
To be considered for the awards, authors must be living Australian citizens or permanent residents. The works must have been first published between 1 January and 31 December 2010, in English, and offered for general sale in Australia between these dates.
Entries close at 5.00 pm, Wednesday 2 February 2011. For entry forms and eligibility guidelines and information about the judging panels visit www.arts.gov.au/pmliteraryawards
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