Entries to the 2024 Mona Brand Award have now closed.
The winners will be announced in May 2024.
Guidelines
ABOUT THE AWARD
Established in 2016, the $30,000 Mona Brand Award is presented every two years to a woman or non-binary writer for a body of outstanding work displaying broad array, which has been widely performed or screened to critical acclaim.
As well as this major prize for a body of work, the Early Career Writer Award, valued at $10,000, is presented to a woman or non-binary writer who is in the early stages of their career for their first professionally produced, screened or broadcast work.
This is the only award of its kind in Australia and was made possible through a bequest to the State Library of NSW Foundation by the late Mona Fox nee Brand (1915–2007) a trailblazing Australian poet, author and a prolific playwright of nearly 30 plays. Her work, which often addressed socially relevant and controversial topics has been performed on stage, radio and television in Australia and overseas.
In 2002 the Library acquired her papers, including correspondence, diaries, manuscripts photographs, recordings and many other records of her remarkable life and career. As the custodian of this important collection it is fitting that the State Library administers and presents this Award, which not only honours the rich legacy Mona Brand imparted but celebrates the best of contemporary writing by Australian women.
For more information please refer to the Guidelines
Senior Project Officer, Awards
(02) 9273 1582 or awards@sl.nsw.gov.au
JUDGING PANEL
Helen Bowden
PANEL CHAIR
Helen Bowden is one of Australia’s most prolific and highly awarded drama producers. Lingo Pictures, which she runs with Jason Stephens, has made eleven series in eight years. This includes two seasons of The Secrets She Keeps for Paramount + and BBC1; two seasons of Upright starring Tim Minchin for SkyUK and Foxtel; Lambs of God, starring Anne Dowd, Essie Davis and Sam Reid for Foxtel; Queen of Oz starring Catherine Tate for BBC1. As well as the upcoming Erotic Stories for SBS; After the Party for the ABC and Prosper for Stan. Helen also produced The Slap.
Anchuli Felicia King
Anchuli Felicia King is a playwright, screenwriter and multidisciplinary artist of Thai-Australian descent. King’s plays have been produced by the Royal Court Theatre (London), Manhattan Theater Club (New York), Studio Theatre (Washington D.C.), Melbourne Theatre Company (Melbourne), Sydney Theatre Company, National Theatre of Parramatta, Belvoir Theatre (Sydney) and La Boite Theatre (Brisbane). As a screenwriter, Felicia has written episodes on The Sympathizer, starring Robert Downey Jr and Sandra Oh (HBO), and Mary and George (AMC) starring Julianne Moore. She has also written episodes for The Baby (UK), The Twelve and Deadloch (Australia).
Carissa Lee
Dr Carissa Lee is a Noongar actor and writer born on Wemba-Wemba country who has recently completed her PhD in Cross-Cultural Collaboration in Indigenous theatre with The University of Melbourne. Carissa has featured in stage and film productions locally and interstate. Carissa also works as a cultural script consultant and dramaturg, having consulted film and theatre. A member of FNAWN, her writing has featured in The Guardian, Junkee, Witness Performance, IndigenousX and The Conversation. Carissa is currently the Indigenous public policy commissioning editor at The Conversation and IndigenousX, while working as a writer and actor.
CONTACT US
For more information please contact Awards, State Library of NSW.
Email: awards@sl.nsw.gov.au
Telephone: (02) 9273 1767, or alternatively (02) 9273 1770
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