Barnes wins 2015 Thomas Shapcott Prize

Poet and editor Stuart Barnes has won the 2015 Thomas Shapcott Poetry Prize for his manuscript The Staysails.

Barnes receives $3000 and a publication contract with University of Queensland Press, which will publish his book in 2016. The prize was established in 2003 in honour of Queensland poet Thomas Shapcott, and is awarded annually for the best unpublished manuscript.

The award was presented on 28 August at the Queensland Poetry Festival. Several other awards were also presented, including the $2000 Val Vallis Award for an unpublished poem, which went to Andrew Last; the $1500 XYZ Prize for innovation in spoken word, which went to Muna Murrell; and the $500 Philip Bacon ‘ekphrasis’ Award, which went to Rosanna Licari.

For more information about the awards, visit the Queensland Poetry Festival website here.

Category: Local news