Finalists Announced | 2026 Northern Territory Literary Awards

Black and green image of an origami style pen illustration with text '2026 Northern Territory Literary Awards' and sponsor logos

Library & Archives NT is excited to announce the shortlist for the 2026 Northern Territory Literary Awards!

Now in its 42nd year, the awards celebrate the talent of writers from across the Territory and provide opportunities for emerging and established writers to develop their craft and share their work. This year, 265 entries were received across seven categories, with 22 works selected for the shortlist.

The 2026 Northern Territory Literary Awards shortlist includes:

  • Brown’s Mart Theatre Award
    Ryanna Clayton – Lure
    William Pyke – Finding Magnus
     
  • CDU Creative Non-Fiction Award
    Roland Bull – Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde Park
    Kathie Rea – Looking back on Sumner Locke Elliott’s Rusty Bugles
    Linda Wells – That old gramophone
     
  • CDU Essay Award
    Dr Dean David Mobbs – The love story of Mary 'Gladys' Namagu and Michael 'Mick' Daly
     
  • Flash Fiction Award
    Mark Ames – Spinifex saviours
    Eric Daams – The lamentations of whales
    Yvette McLean – Keep up
    Cristhian Jara Pisco – I won the lottery
     
  • Kath Manzie Youth Award
    Erin Simmons – The diary of leukemia
    Halle Wamara – The tale of Mr. Gibbs
     
  • NT Writers’ Centre Poetry Award
    Vamshika Bakshi – Vicissitudes
    Sophie Benkemoun – Not black or white
    Diane Brodie – The waiting game
    Shanshan Meng – October morning light
    Emma Trenorden – Guria in me
    Stephen Van Der Mark – Two calendars, one heart, one land
     
  • Zip Print Short Story Award
    Sophie Collins – Brakes
    Eric Daams – OmegaBot
    Siobhan Hunter – Her mind, his life and their fake smiles
    Rosie Wild – The things we measure

For the first time, the winners will be announced at the NT Writing Awards Ceremony bringing together the Territory's three premier literary competitions: NT Literary Awards, NT History Book Award and NT Book Awards.

Held at 5.30pm on Wednesday 23 September 2026 at Danala, Charles Darwin University city campus in Darwin with a satellite event at Witchetty's in Alice Springs, and online attendance available, the ceremony will connect audiences across the country in celebration of Territory storytelling. Tickets are $35 and are available via the NT Writers' Centre website.