Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards
Submissions are now open for the 2026 Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards.
Your definitive guide to Australia’s best writing.
The Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards (VPLAs) were inaugurated by the Victorian Government in 1985 to honour literary achievement by Australian writers. Administered by The Wheeler Centre on behalf of the Premier of Victoria, the VPLAs are one of Australia’s most prestigious and lucrative literary prize suites – championing excellence across Fiction, Non-Fiction, Drama, Poetry, Indigenous Writing, Humour Writing, Children’s Literature and Writing for Young Adults.
For this year’s Awards the Writing for Young Adults category has been renamed The John Marsden Prize for Writing for Young Adults as a special tribute to the beloved author.
Entries were sought for the following categories for 2026, within the eligible publishing period indicated:
- Fiction, non-fiction, poetry, writing for young adults, children’s literature, Indigenous writing – Books published between 1 January 2025 and 31 December 2025 are eligible for these awards.
- Drama – Theatre and musical theatre scripts first produced in Australia by a professional theatre company for an audience between 1 January 2025 and 31 December 2025 are eligible for this award.
The winners of each Prize receive $25,000, and will go on to contest the major prize, the $100,000 Victorian Prize for Literature. This is the single most valuable literary award in the country.
No work can enter more than one 2026 Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards category, except works entered in the Prize for Indigenous Writing and the John Clarke Prize for Humour Writing. These works can also enter the other Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards category for which they are eligible.
The Award for an Unpublished Manuscript is offered to a Victorian resident for an unpublished fiction manuscript, which may take the form of either a collection of stories or a novel. The winner of the Award for Unpublished Manuscript will receive $15,000 in prize money. They will also receive a two-week residency at McCraith House on the Mornington Peninsula, thanks to RMIT University.
The John Clarke Award for Humour Writing is awarded every other year and will return for the 2027 Awards for books published between 1 January 2025 and 31 December 2026.
Entries for the 2026 Awards are now open
Application Guidelines:
2026 Victorian Premier's Literary Awards Main Suite Guidelines
2026 Award for Unpublished Manuscript Guidelines
Entries close 5pm AEST Friday 29 August 2025
Key dates for all 2026 awards
Entries open: Tuesday 22 July 2025
Close of entries: 5pm AEST Friday 29 August 2025
Shortlist announcement: December 2025
Winner announcement: February 2026
Victorian Premier's Literary Awards: Judge Expression of Interest
If you would like to express your interest in being considered for the judging panel for future Victorian Premier's Literary Awards, please fill out the form below.
Information and enquiries
For further information, please contact:
Xanthea O’Connor
Senior Program and Special Projects Producer
Email: vpla@wheelercentre.com
The Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards are proudly supported by the Victorian Government through the Community Support Fund and Creative Victoria.
