Australian Poetry Announces the 2024 Anne Elder Award Call-Out

KEY DATES FOR THE 2024 AWARD, for first books published during 2024.

Open call for entries – Monday, 27 January 2025.
Close of entries – Monday, 17 March 2025, 5pm (Books must be postmarked no later than Monday, 17 March 2025.)
The announcement of Judges takes place in February, after the award opens. There is a separate announcement on this.
Winner announcement – May 2025.

Information and enquiries
Jacinta Le Plastrier
Email: ceo@australianpoetry.org
Note: Responses to enquiries will not be sent until after 15 January. Please note the new AP address is now: AP, Anne Elder Award, GPO Box 1753, Naarm/Melbourne, VIC 3000. The GPO box number is essential.

The award is named after Anne Elder (1918-1976), a dancer with the Borovansky Ballet in the 1940s who later in life became a notable poet. Her poetry attracted praise from many critics for its vigour, depth of reference and distinctive artistry. Sponsored by the Australian Communities Foundation, this prestigious, national, annual award is for a sole-authored first book of poetry of 20-minimum pages in length, published in Australia.

Established in 1977, the prize has offered important recognition to poets at a critical point in their writing lives, and its alumni represent some of Australia’s best-known and highly respected poets. The winner is awarded $1,000, and there is also the opportunity for the judging panel, which for the 2024 Award will be announced in February, to award other books a commendation or special mention.

Books published between 1 January 2024 and 31 December 2024 are eligible for entry into the 2024 Anne Elder Award.

Submission Guidelines & Eligibility

Open to Australian residents only.
Entries must be in English. Bilingual volumes are acceptable as long as one of the languages in which the poems are written/translated is English.
Book should be a sole-authored first collection of poetry published in 2024. Pub-dates will be checked.
Book must be 20+ pages in length and have been legally deposited with the National Library of Australia.
A book can only be considered a first volume if the author has not had previous volumes of poetry of 20+ pages published either in Australia or elsewhere.
Chapbooks are also eligible if they meet the above guidelines—please note, if a poet has entered a chapbook previously, they cannot re-submit a longer collection.
Entrants who have previously published in another genre are eligible as long as the entry submitted for this award is the first volume of poetry published by the author.
Co-authored entries are not eligible for the award.
First prize $1,000. Winners and commended entrants will receive a copy of Selected Poems of Anne Elder (Lauranton Press).
The judges reserve the right not to award a prize.
The judges’ decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.

How to Enter

Send 3 copies of the book to: Anne Elder Award Nominations, c/o Australian Poetry, GPO Box 1753, Melbourne/Naarm Vic 3000.
Entry fee $35 (including GST) is payable at the time of entry. Payment is via an invoice generated by AP. Please contact ceo@australianpoetry.org so we can organise an invoice, to be paid via EFT. Please email ceo@australianpoetry.org also when you have mailed your copies so we can be in contact if they do not arrive.

You can find out more about Anne Elder in the anthology The Bright and the Cold: Selected Poems of Anne Elder, and in a biography, A Life of Anne Elder, both published in 2018 to mark the centenary of Elder’s birth. These books can be ordered from the publisher, Lauranton Press, through buckrich@bigpond.net.au, or from Readings bookshops. A review of these works by Michelle Concetta Borzi, which appeared in the Australian Women’s Book Review, Hecate Journal, can be viewed here: https://hecate.communications-arts.uq.edu.au/australian-womens-book-review-listing