The winner of one of Australia’s most prestigious poetry awards will be announced next week (Tuesday, February 25) at a gala ceremony.
Award-winning novelist Veny Armanno will present the 2003 Josephine Ulrick National Poetry Prize on behalf of The University of Queensland’s School of English, Media Studies and Art History (EMSAH) and The Josephine Ulrick and Win Schubert Foundation for The Arts.
Hosted by The Brisbane Institute, the ceremony will be held at 6pm (registration from 5.30pm) in the Long Room, Customs House, 399 Queen St.
One of the richest poetry awards in Australia, the winner will receive $10,000 and up to five highly commended entries will be awarded $1000 each.
At the ceremony, Mr Armanno will also discuss Under the Volcano, examining the locations, people and stories behind his latest novel Volcano, which last year won the Queensland Premier’s Award for Best Fiction Novel and was short-listed for The Courier-Mail Book of the Year.
A UQ lecturer in creative writing, Mr Armanno is the author of 10 books and numerous short stories. He is also a film and book reviewer and is currently involved with screenplay adaptation on several of his novels.
Established in 1997 as a tribute to former UQ student, writer, artist and photographer Josephine Ulrick, the award is open to all Australian residents and aims to encourage budding poets.
It is a condition of entry that the poem (or group of poems) does not exceed 200 lines and have not been published, performed or submitted to any other poetry competition.
Previous winners included prominent poet Anthony Lawrence, whose latest volume of work, Skinned by Light, was published by University of Queensland Press last year and launched at the 2002 Brisbane Poetry Festival.
Judy Johnson, who won last year’s prize for her work entitled The African Spider Cures, has since won the City of Greater Dandenong Poetry Award and the prestigious Arts Queensland Val Vallis Award for Unpublished Poetry.
Tickets cost $22 ($11 concession) and are available until February 24 by telephoning 07 3220 2198 or emailing rsvp@brisinst.org.au
Media: This year’s winner will be available for pre-recorded interviews before the ceremony on February 25 from 2.30-5.30pm. For further information, contact Sue Morris from UQ’s School of English, Media Studies and Art History (mobile 0418 763 833, email sue.morris@uq.edu.au), Joanne van Zeeland at UQ Communications (telephone 07 3365 2619 or email communications@uq.edu.au) or visit www.brisinst.org.au
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