Poet Paul Hetherington receives the inaugural Marion Halligan award from the late writer’s grandson Edgar, 7, as his mother Jenny and host Alex Sloan look on. Photo: Hilary Wardhaugh.
Canberra poet Paul Hetherington has won the inaugural Marion Halligan Award at the 2024 ACT Literary Awards for his work, Sleeplessness.
The award, which honours the life and work of storyteller Marion Halligan, recognises works that demonstrate uniqueness, literary excellence, and/or transcend genre boundaries.
The event celebrates the literary sector’s excellence in the ACT and surrounding regions.
This year’s judges, Professor Frank Bongiorno, Dr Paul Collis, Dan Hogan, Krys Saclier and Beejay Silcox selected a wide range of writers, from the emerging to veterans. They based their decisions on works that “stood out in their brilliance and demonstrate literary excellence, powerful narrative structure and impactful use of language”.
Emma Batchelor, chair of awards co-ordinator MARION, congratulated this year’s winners, describing the ACT Literary Awards as an important fixture on the arts calendar.
“They not only provide an important platform for the literary talent in our region, but an opportunity to connect and celebrate one another,” she said.
“MARION is proud to produce and administer these awards in addition to supporting and uplifting our community. We have such a breadth of talent here in Kamberri, who work across form and genre. It is our privilege to nurture those voices and connect them with readers.”
MARION CEO Katy Mutton said the awards were a perfect opportunity to celebrate the region’s writers and writing.
“Congratulations to all the shortlisted writers and award winners,” she said.
“Their hard work and dedication to their craft are truly inspiring. MARION is proud to administer these awards and support such incredible talent.”
The MARION Fellowship Award, which recognises an emerging Australian writer, went to Callie Doyle-Scott.
“Her novel manuscript, Soup for the Moon, impressed us with its immersive and enchanting quality,” MARION creative producer Zhi Cham said. “We are thrilled to be able to support Callie in her journey of bringing Soup for the Moon to life.
Winner of the 2024 MARION Fellowship Award Callie Doyle-Scott at the ACT Literary Awards. Photo: Hilary Wardhaugh.
“One of these ways will be through a mentorship with Isobelle Carmody who enthusiastically agreed upon reading Callie’s highly original and exciting sample.”
Highlights of the event included the announcement of a Highly Commended award to the late writer Angus Trumble, which was accepted by his brother Hamish. Winners of the children’s literature awards included Tania McCartney, Jackie French, Gary Lonesborough and David Conley.
The Anne Edgeworth Fellowship Award of $5000, designed to help emerging writers, was shared by Jemima Parker for her achievements in children’s literature and Gill Watson to help with mentorship in the editing and publishing process. Anne Edgeworth, also known as Anne Godfrey-Smith, was a prominent poet, writer, theatre director, academic, conservationist and activist for reconciliation. She died in 2011.
Other award winners this year: Cate Furey (June Shenfield Poetry Award); Tim Metcalf (Traditional Poetry); Kristen Alexander, Kriegies: The Australian Airmen of Stalag Luft III (Self-Published Non-Fiction); Kate Fullagar, Bennelong & Phillip: A History Unravelled (Traditional Publishing); and Kylie Needham, Girl in a Pink Dress (Fiction).
