Canberra has always been more than politics and policy. Beneath the national headlines and political banter is a city of storytellers, poets, historians, novelists, memoirists and thinkers, quietly shaping the way we see ourselves and each other.
This week, nominations officially opened for the 2026 ACT Book of the Year Award, and it is a timely reminder of just how rich our local literary community has become.
The award celebrates outstanding books published in the 2025 calendar year by ACT-based authors across fiction, non-fiction and poetry. With $10,000 awarded to the winner, $2,000 for any highly commended works and $1,000 for each shortlisted book, it is not only a recognition of craft, but an investment in Canberra’s creative future.
Administered by artsACT and assessed by an independent judging panel, the award will see shortlisted titles and the winning book recommended to the Minister for Business, Arts and Creative Industries, Michael Pettersson.
Opening nominations, Minister Pettersson reflected on the importance of celebrating local voices.
“I’m delighted to open nominations for the 2026 ACT Book of the Year Award. Canberra is home to a remarkable writing community, and these awards give us a chance to showcase the brilliance and creativity of our local authors.
Each year we see fresh, bold and thoughtful works emerge from the ACT, and I hope these awards inspire even more writers to develop their ideas and share their stories with the world.”
Nominations close at 5.00pm on Tuesday 31 March 2026. And if last year taught us anything, it is that some of the most powerful stories are coming from voices who have too often been overlooked.
A Literary Community Expanding Its Edges
When we covered the launch of two neurodivergent authors last year, the room was full. Families, teachers, fellow writers and community members gathered not only to buy books but to witness possibility. So while you’re at it we highy recommend you check out You Can’t Rush Friendships, Nat Bannerman and Sydney Convict’s, Logan Altman.
There was pride in the air. There was nervous excitement. There were quiet moments of reflection.
And there was something else, momentum.
Literary ecosystems grow through visibility. When one author succeeds, it signals to others that it might be possible for them too.
It would be extraordinary to see those authors, or others like them, step into the next stage of recognition through the ACT Book of the Year. Not simply for personal achievement, but for what it represents: that Canberra values diverse storytelling.
Because excellence in writing is not confined to one genre or one background. It spans poetry that holds grief gently. Non-fiction that interrogates policy and power. Fiction that dares to imagine new futures.
And increasingly, it includes voices shaped by neurodiversity, disability, migration, queerness, cultural heritage and lived experience.
A Strong Year Ahead
The 2025 publishing year has already produced compelling works across genres. Canberra’s literary output continues to surprise, from thought-provoking essays to deeply intimate memoirs and imaginative fiction.
For authors considering a nomination, now is the time to act. For readers, this is a chance to reflect on what you have read last year. Which Canberra book stayed with you? Which one challenged your thinking? Which one made you feel seen?
And for Purpose Media CBR, whose mission centres on amplifying people and places creating social and community impact, literary recognition fits squarely within that vision. Stories shape culture. Culture shapes communities. Communities shape wellbeing.
A Call to Canberra’s Writers
If you are a Canberra-based author who published a book in 2025, this is your invitation.
Nominate your work. Just do it! You have already done the hardest part, written and published!
Share the opportunity within your networks.
And if you are a reader, keep supporting local authors. Attend launches. Leave reviews. Gift Canberra books to friends interstate.
Because when our writers succeed, Canberra’s cultural identity grows stronger.
Nominations for the 2026 ACT Book of the Year Award close at 5.00pm on Tuesday 31 March 2026. For further information, contact artsACT on (02) 6207 2384 or email artsACT@act.gov.au.
We cannot wait to see this year’s nominees.
