2021 Northern Territory Literary Awards Winners Announced

Library & Archives NT has announced the 2021 winners of the Northern Territory Literary Awards.

Now in its 38th year, the Northern Territory Literary Awards recognise and celebrate the achievements of Territory writers. 

This year a field of 450 submissions were received from writers around the Territory including Katherine, Nhulunbuy, Ramingining, Alice Springs and Darwin. This is the largest number of entries in recent years. Twenty-seven unpublished works across seven categories were shortlisted, with the winners sharing in a $5,700 prize pool.

In addition to their prize money, the winners received an annual membership and masterclass with the NT Writers’ Centre. 

The winning texts are published in a booklet distributed at the Awards ceremony and available online.

The Awards are part of a special program of annual events at the Northern Territory Library that celebrate the achievements of established and emerging writers, storytellers and prominent Territorians.

The official winners are:

Brown’s Mart Theatre Award
(Theatre script with a performance time of more than 30 minutes)

Sandra Thibodeaux, Calls to 1194

Charles Darwin University Creative Non-Fiction Award
(A factually accurate work written with attention to literary style and technique up to 3000 words)

James Murray, Listlessness and the Hemisphere of Hope

Alley Pascoe, A homecoming

Charles Darwin University Essay Award
(A referenced academic essay on a topic relating to the Northern Territory up to 3000 words)

Laura Burfitt, Discrimination Against Women Prisoners in the Darwin Correctional Centre

Flash Fiction Award
(A blog post, fan fiction, short story, fictional diary entry or fictional letter up to 500 words)

Stephen W. Enciso, Re: Application for the conversion of feelings

Kath Manzie Youth Award
(An original work of short fiction or a single poem by a person aged 12 to 18 years as of 1 January 2021 - up to three poetry entries per person with a 300-line limit or a short story up to 3000 words)

Elisha Petitt, Sunday

NT Writers’ Centre Poetry Award
(A single poem up to 300 lines)

Brian Obiri-Asare, dear Alice 

Zip Print Short Story Award
(An original work of short fiction up to 3000 words)

Barbara Eather, One night in Millner

The 2021 Awards ceremony was held at the Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs, and livestreamed to the Northern Territory Library.