The Patrick White Award is an annual literary prize established by Patrick White. White used his 1973 Nobel Prize in Literature award to establish a trust for this prize.

The $25,000 cash award is given to a writer who has been highly creative over a long period but has not necessarily received adequate recognition. White stipulated that the award be announced the Friday after the Melbourne Cup to turn attention from sport to literature.^[1] The 2010 award was reduced to $18,000 because of the economic slump,^[2] and in 2012 it was $23,000.^[3] In 2020 the winner received $15,000.^[4] Writers are automatically eligible without the necessity for submissions.

Winners

• 2023 Alex Skovron^[5]
• 2022 Antigone Kefala^[6]
• 2021 Adam Aitken^[7]
• 2020 Gregory Day^[8]
• 2019 Jordie Albiston^[9]
• 2018 Samuel Wagan Watson^[10]
• 2017 Tony Birch^[11]
• 2016 Carmel Bird^[12]
• 2015 Joan London^[13]
• 2014 Brian Castro^[14]
• 2013 Louis Nowra^[15]
• 2012 Amanda Lohrey^[3]
• 2011 Robert Adamson^[16]
• 2010 David Foster^[2]
• 2009 Beverley Farmer^[17]
• 2008 John Romeril^[18]
• 2007 David Rowbotham^[18]
• 2006 Morris Lurie^[19]
• 2005 Fay Zwicky^[20]
• 2004 Nancy Phelan^[18]
• 2003 Janette Turner Hospital^[18]
• 2002 Tom Hungerford^[18]
• 2001 Geoff Page^[18]
• 2000 Thomas Shapcott^[18]
• 1999 Gerald Murnane^[18]
• 1998 Alma De Groen^[18]
• 1997 Vivian Smith^[18]
• 1996 Elizabeth Harrower^[18]
• 1995 Elizabeth Riddell^[18]
• 1994 Dimitris Tsaloumas^[18]
• 1993 Amy Witting^[18]
• 1992 Peter Cowan^[18]
• 1991 David Martin^[18]
• 1990 Robert Gray^[18]
• 1989 Thea Astley^[18]
• 1988 Roland Robinson^[18]
• 1987 William Hart-Smith^[18]
• 1986 John Morrison^[18]
• 1985 Judah Waten (posthumous)^[18]
• 1984 Rosemary Dobson^[18]
• 1983 Marjorie Barnard^[18]
• 1982 Bruce Beaver^[18]
• 1981 Dal Stivens^[18]
• 1980 Bruce Dawe^[18]
• 1979 Randolph Stow^[18]
• 1978 Gwen Harwood^[18]
• 1977 Sumner Locke Elliott^[18]
• 1976 John Blight^[18]
• 1975 David Campbell^[18]
• 1974 Christina Stead^[18]

References