ARA Historical Novel Prize adds children and young adult category, prize money totals $100,000

The Historical Novel Society of Australasia (HNSA), in partnership with building and infrastructure services provider ARA Group, has announced that the ARA Historical Novel Prize will incorporate a category for outstanding children and young adult (CYA) literature, making it the richest genre-based literary award in Australasia.

Established in 2020, the ARA Historical Novel Prize is now worth a total of $100,000 in prize monies, up from $60,000 in its inaugural year. In the new CYA category, the winner will receive $30,000, while the two shortlisted authors will receive $5000 each. The prize will continue to award $50,000 to the adult category winner, with an additional $5000 to be awarded to each of the remaining two shortlisted authors.

Mirandi Riwoe won the inaugural $50,000 prize last year for her novel Stone Sky Gold Mountain (UQP).

Arts patron and ARA Group founder, executive chair and managing director Edward Federman said he was ‘determined to expand the prize funding to support more of Australasia’s most talented authors during a time of immense uncertainty in the industry’.

‘As Covid-19 continues to affect author’s earnings, ARA Group is hopeful the launch of the new CYA category and additional funding for the ARA Historical Novel Prize will not only make a considerable difference to the lives of the winning authors, but also ensure the telling of history lives on,’ said Federman.

The judges for the 2021 prize are Nicole Alexander (chair), Carmel Bird and Roanna Gonsalves for the adult category, and Paul McDonald (chair), Thuy On and Catherine Mayo for CYA novels. Submissions open on Wednesday, 14 April. For more information see the HNSA website.

Category: Awards Local news