Queensland Literary Awards

Queensland Literary Awards
Location	Brisbane
Country	Australia
First awarded	4 September 2012
Official website	Queensland Literary Awards

The Queensland Literary Awards is a community driven awards program that was established in 2012. Like the former Queensland Premier's Literary Awards, the QLAs celebrate and promote outstanding Australian writing. The awards aim to seek out, recognize and nurture great talent in Australian writing. They draw national and international attention to some of our best writers and to Queensland’s recognition of outstanding Australian literature and publishing.

These Awards have a focus on supporting new writing through the Emerging Queensland Writer - Manuscript Award and Unpublished Indigenous writer - David Unaipon Award. "They give local writers and new writers something to aspire to."

The Queensland Literary Awards was established by a not-for-profit association of passionate Queensland volunteers and advocates for literature, in response to Queensland Premier Campbell Newman disestablishing the Queensland Premier's Literary Awards in 2012.

In 2012 and 2013 the program was run by a volunteer workforce. Following consultation with the QLA Inc. governing committee, 2014 saw the management of the QLA transition to State Library of Queensland (SLQ). While SLQ took on a leadership role in delivering the program, the aim was to continue to build on the existing genuinely collaborative model where the community and writing sector partners are key stakeholders.

The original Premier's awards were established by Peter Beattie, the then Premier of Queensland in 1998 and first awarded in 1999.

There are currently twelve award categories including:

The Awards are judged by independent panels of writers, critics, academics and publishers. The Awards are presented to entrants whom judges deem to possess the highest literary merit.

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