Published Tuesday, 15 April, 2008 at 03:13 PM

Premier
The Honourable Anna Bligh
NOMINATIONS OPEN FOR DAVID UNAIPON AWARD
Budding and aspiring Indigenous writers are encouraged to enter the David Unaipon Award, one of Australia’s leading Indigenous literary awards.
As part of the Queensland Premier’s Literary Awards, the David Unaipon Award offers unpublished Indigenous writers the chance to receive $15,000 in prize money. The winning manuscript will be published by the University of Queensland Press and the winner will be mentored by the publishing house.
Since winning the David Unaipon Award in 2004 for Swallow the Air, Tara June Winch has moved forward in leaps and bounds with her debut novel. Tara has recently been shortlisted for the 2008 Rolex Mentoring and Protégé Arts Initiative, Geneva; won the 2007 Books Alive selection; won the New South Wales and Victorian Literary Awards; was shortlisted for the Age Book of the Year, and has sold film rights for her novel Swallow the Air.
“The voices of Indigenous people have, for far too long, been silenced - the annual David Unaipon Award is giving back what has been taken away, creating a renaissance in Australian literature, bringing our stories into homes and hearts and history,” Ms June Winch said.
“Entering the David Unaipon is the first step in freeing a story, opening a door and taking a chance. For myself, the process of collecting my ideas, writings and stories and then entering the award was such a valuable experience, to know that I had the confidence to let a panel
of strangers see my words, read them and judge them, to be open to criticism, to opportunity, to disappointment or accolade.
This, the process before the waiting, regardless of winning or not, the time one takes to write and release their story is what is so gratifying about
the David Unaipon Award,” Ms June Winch said.
Entries for the 2008 David Unaipon Award are now open, and close on Friday 23 May 2008.
For more information visit www.literaryawards.qld.gov.au or phone (07) 3405 5215.
As part of the Queensland Premier’s Literary Awards, the David Unaipon Award offers unpublished Indigenous writers the chance to receive $15,000 in prize money. The winning manuscript will be published by the University of Queensland Press and the winner will be mentored by the publishing house.
Since winning the David Unaipon Award in 2004 for Swallow the Air, Tara June Winch has moved forward in leaps and bounds with her debut novel. Tara has recently been shortlisted for the 2008 Rolex Mentoring and Protégé Arts Initiative, Geneva; won the 2007 Books Alive selection; won the New South Wales and Victorian Literary Awards; was shortlisted for the Age Book of the Year, and has sold film rights for her novel Swallow the Air.
“The voices of Indigenous people have, for far too long, been silenced - the annual David Unaipon Award is giving back what has been taken away, creating a renaissance in Australian literature, bringing our stories into homes and hearts and history,” Ms June Winch said.
“Entering the David Unaipon is the first step in freeing a story, opening a door and taking a chance. For myself, the process of collecting my ideas, writings and stories and then entering the award was such a valuable experience, to know that I had the confidence to let a panel
of strangers see my words, read them and judge them, to be open to criticism, to opportunity, to disappointment or accolade.
This, the process before the waiting, regardless of winning or not, the time one takes to write and release their story is what is so gratifying about
the David Unaipon Award,” Ms June Winch said.
Entries for the 2008 David Unaipon Award are now open, and close on Friday 23 May 2008.
For more information visit www.literaryawards.qld.gov.au or phone (07) 3405 5215.