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The State Library of South Australia is proud to manage the South Australian Literary Awards, which are held biennially. Formerly known as the Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature, 2024 heralds a new era for the Awards with the unveiling of a fresh look and new name.
These literary awards, introduced in 1986 by the Government of South Australia, celebrate Australia’s writing culture by offering national and state-based literary prizes across a range of genres. The Awards program includes fellowships for South Australian writers, highlighting the importance of our unique local writers, supporting the literary community and contributing to public engagement with literature.
Shortlist announced
The shortlist was announced on Friday 9 August 2024 - check out the Awards website to find out more.
Winners will be announced at a ceremony at the State Library’s iconic Mortlock Chamber, to be held in October 2024. Unsuccessful authors will not be notified individually.
Prizes for the 2024 South Australian Literary Awards
| Premier's Award | $25,000 for the best overall published work, chosen from the winners of the five national categories. |
| Fiction Award | $15,000 for a published novel or collection of short stories. |
| Non-Fiction Award | $15,000 for a published non-fiction work. |
| Young Adult Fiction Award | $15,000 for a published book of fiction aimed at readers aged 12 to 18 years. |
| Children's Literature Award | $15,000 for a published fiction or non-fiction book aimed at readers up to 11 years. |
| John Bray Poetry Award | $15,000 for a published collection of poetry, in honour of late South Australian poet Dr John Bray. |
| Jill Blewett Playwright's Award | $12,500 for an un-produced play of any genre written by a professional South Australian playwright. Supported by State Theatre Company South Australia. |
| Arts South Australia Wakefield Press Unpublished Manuscript Award | $10,000 plus publication by Wakefield Press for an unpublished, book-length manuscript by a South Australian writer. |
| Tangkanungku Pintyanthi Fellowship | $15,000 for a South Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander writer working in the genres of fiction, literary, non-fiction, poetry and playwriting. |
| Barbara Hanrahan Fellowship | $15,000 for a South Australian writer working in the areas of fiction, poetry, drama, scriptwriting, autobiography, essays, major histories, literary criticism or other expository or analytical prose. Named in honour of distinguished South Australian writer and visual artist Barbara Hanrahan. |
| Max Fatchen Fellowship | $15,000 for a South Australian writer for young people working in the genres of fiction, drama, poetry or screenwriting, named in honour of author Max Fatchen. |
Contact us
If you have any queries please contact:
South Australian Literary Awards
email: sa.literaryawards@sa.gov.au