Patrick White Award Explained

The Patrick White Award is an annual literary prize established by Patrick White. White used his 1973 Nobel Prize in Literature award to establish a trust for this prize.

The $25,000 cash award is given to a writer who has been highly creative over a long period but has not necessarily received adequate recognition. White stipulated that the award be announced the Friday after the Melbourne Cup to turn attention from sport to literature.^[1] The 2010 award was reduced to $18,000 because of the economic slump, and in 2012 it was $23,000. In 2020 the winner received $15,000.^[2] Writers are automatically eligible without the necessity for submissions.

Winners

• 2024 Pi O^[3]
• 2023 Alex Skovron^[4]
• 2022 Antigone Kefala^[5]
• 2021 Adam Aitken^[6]
• 2020 Gregory Day^[7]
• 2019 Jordie Albiston^[8]
• 2018 Samuel Wagan Watson^[9]
• 2017 Tony Birch^[10]
• 2016 Carmel Bird^[11]
• 2015 Joan London^[12]
• 2014 Brian Castro^[13]
• 2013 Louis Nowra^[14]
• 2012 Amanda Lohrey^[15]
• 2011 Robert Adamson^[16]
• 2010 David Foster^[17]
• 2009 Beverley Farmer^[18]
• 2008 John Romeril^[19]
• 2007 David Rowbotham
• 2006 Morris Lurie^[20]
• 2005 Fay Zwicky^[21]
• 2004 Nancy Phelan
• 2003 Janette Turner Hospital
• 2002 Tom Hungerford
• 2001 Geoff Page
• 2000 Thomas Shapcott
• 1999 Gerald Murnane
• 1998 Alma De Groen
• 1997 Vivian Smith
• 1996 Elizabeth Harrower
• 1995 Elizabeth Riddell
• 1994 Dimitris Tsaloumas
• 1993 Amy Witting
• 1992 Peter Cowan
• 1991 David Martin
• 1990 Robert Gray
• 1989 Thea Astley
• 1988 Roland Robinson
• 1987 William Hart-Smith
• 1986 John Morrison
• 1985 Judah Waten (posthumous)
• 1984 Rosemary Dobson
• 1983 Marjorie Barnard
• 1982 Bruce Beaver
• 1981 Dal Stivens
• 1980 Bruce Dawe
• 1979 Randolph Stow
• 1978 Gwen Harwood
• 1977 Sumner Locke Elliott
• 1976 John Blight
• 1975 David Campbell
• 1974 Christina Stead

Notes and References

1. https://www.australianbookreview.com.au/about/77-december-2012-january-2013/1281-patrick-white-to-the-rescue Carter, David. "Patrick White to the rescue", ABR, no. 347, December 2012-January 2013
2. Web site: Steger. Jason. 2020-11-29. Patrick White makes a writer's Day, again. 2020-11-30. The Sydney Morning Herald. en.
3. Web site: Mem: 7525192 . Pi-O wins 2024 Patrick White Literary Award Books+Publishing . 2024-10-25 . en-AU.
4. Web site: 2023-10-23 . Skovron wins 2023 Patrick White Award . 2023-10-26 . Books+Publishing.
5. Web site: 2022-11-24 . Kefala wins 2022 Patrick White Award . 2022-11-25 . Books+Publishing . en-AU.
6. Web site: 2021-12-07. Aitken wins 2021 Patrick White Award. 2021-12-07. Books+Publishing. en-AU.
7. Web site: 2020-11-30. Day wins Patrick White Literary Award. 2020-11-30. Books+Publishing. en-AU.
8. Web site: Albiston wins 2019 Patrick White Award. 18 November 2019. Books+Publishing. en-AU. 2019-11-22.
9. News: Samuel Wagan Watson wins 2018 Patrick White Literary Award Books+Publishing. 2018-10-31. en-AU.
10. Steger. Jason. Tony Birch wins Patrick White Award. Sydney Morning Herald. 2017. 15 November 2017. 16 November 2017.
11. Web site: Carmel Bird wins the $20,000 Patrick White Award. . Jason Steger . October 17, 2016 . September 10, 2023.
12. Web site: "London wins 2015 Patrick White Literary Award" . Books+Publishing, 29 October 2015. 27 August 2023.
13. Web site: Louis Nowra wins $23,000 Patrick White Literary Award. The Age . Susan Wyndham . November 7, 2014 . September 10, 2023.
14. Web site: Louis Nowra wins $23,000 Patrick White Literary Award. Sydney Morning Herald . Susan Wyndham . November 9, 2013 . September 10, 2023.
15. Web site: Religion shapes winner's prose . . Susan Wyndham . November 16, 2012 . November 18, 2012.
16. Web site: Former inmate wins $18,000 poetry prize . canberratimes.com.au . 7 November 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20111107071348/http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/local/news/general/former-inmate-wins-18000-poetry-prize/2347900.aspx . 7 November 2011 . dead . 27 August 2022.
17. Web site: Literary postman delivers again, winning mentor's bequest . SMH.com.au . 2010-11-13 . 2023-09-10.
18. Web site: Farmer wins literary award . Theage.com.au . 2009-11-07 . 2012-04-04.
19. Web site: Austlit — Patrick White Award - Past Winners . Austlit. 22 August 2023.
20. Web site: In the right place at the White time, for $25,000 . Theage.com.au . 2012-04-04.
21. Web site: Writers' solitary life interrupted by award . Theage.com.au . 2012-04-04.