NSW Premier’s Literary Awards Shortlist

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UPDATE – Winners have been announced!
Book of the Year & Multicultural NSW award – Still alive – Safdar Ahmed with other winners below.
People’s Choice winner –The shut ins – Katherine Brabon.

The NSW Premier’s Literary Awards are held annually. They are the richest and longest running state-based literary awards in Australia and cover all genres of writing. The shortlisted titles for the 2022 Awards have been released with the winners being announced on 16 May during the Sydney Writers’ Festival.

People’s Choice Award – Select your favourite from the books shortlisted for the Christina Stead Prize for Fiction to enter the draw to win one of two prize packs of all six books. Click on the image above or here to enter the competition. Voting closes Sunday 1st May.

Christina Stead Prize for Fiction – Shortlist

The award may be made for a novel or a collection of stories. Works of creative non-fiction, including fictionalised memoirs, are eligible for consideration under this category. The award commemorates Christina Ellen Stead (1902–1983), Australian novelist and short story writer.

UTS Glenda Adams Award for New Writing – Shortlist

The UTS Glenda Adams Award is for a published book of fiction written by an author who has not previously published a book-length work of narrative fiction or narrative non-fiction, chosen from the Christina Stead Prize. The Award seeks to recognise outstanding new literary talent. The winning author may produce an excellent piece of writing in a traditional fictional form or may challenge and expand the boundaries of the genre. 

Douglas Stewart Prize for Non Fiction

The Douglas Stewart Prize is for a prose work other than a work of fiction. Books including biographies, autobiographies and works of history, philosophy and literary criticism may be nominated provided they display literary qualities. The award was established to commemorate the lifetime achievement of Douglas Alexander Stewart (1913–1985), poet, essayist and literary critic.

The Kenneth Slessor Prize for Poetry

The Kenneth Slessor Prize is offered to a poet for a book of collected poems or for a single poem of substantial length published in book form. A collection of poems may be published in a book containing the work of up to four poets. This award commemorates poet and journalist Kenneth Adolf Slessor (1901–1971).

The Patricia Wrightson Prize for Children’s Literature

The Patricia Wrightson Prize is offered for a work of fiction, non-fiction or poetry written for children up to secondary school level. The prize commemorates the work of Patricia Wrightson (1921–2010), one of Australia’s most distinguished children’s authors.

The Ethel Turner Prize for Young People’s Literature

The Ethel Turner Prize is offered for a work of fiction, non-fiction or poetry written for young people of secondary school level. This award commemorates Ethel Mary Turner (1870–1958), author of Seven Little Australians.

The Multicultural NSW Award is offered for a work produced as any of the eligible various media, including books, theatrical performances, scripts and screenplays; published during the period of eligibility; deemed by the judges to have made a significant contribution to Australian literature, poetry, theatre, film, radio or television; and also considers:

  • any aspect of the Australian migration experience; and/or
  • aspects of cultural diversity and multiculturalism in Australian society.

This award is sponsored wholly by Multicultural NSW.

The Indigenous Writers’ Prize is offered biennially, first awarded in 2016. The prize is open to those who are of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent, who identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islanders, and who are accepted as such by the communities in which they live. The work must have been first published, performed, screened or broadcast during the period of eligibility. The Prize is designed to recognise literary merit in all categories including fiction, non-fiction, poetry, books for children and young adults, plays and scriptwriting. The Prize is intended to acknowledge the contribution made to Australian literary culture by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander writers.