New $40,000 award celebrates female stage and screen writers

14 July, 2016

The State Library of NSW has announced the launch of the inaugural Mona Brand Award for outstanding Women Stage and Screen Writers.The award has been made possible by the generous bequest of the late Mona Alexis Fox nee Brand (1915–2007) and the State Library of NSW Foundation.With a major prize of $30,000 and an additional $10,000 prize for a writer in the early stages of her career, the Mona Brand Award recognises outstanding women writers for the stage and screen.Brand was a trailblazing Australian poet and author whose prolific work, which often addressed socially relevant and controversial topics, has been performed on stage, radio and television in Australia and around the world.The State Library of NSW will present this award in honour of her rich legacy and the extraordinary work of Australia’s women writers today.The conditions of entry and nomination form are available on the State Library website.Entries close at 5pm on Friday 12 August 2016.The inaugural winners will be announced at the State Library of NSW in November 2016.