About Us

The Stella Prize is a major literary award celebrating Australian women’s writing, and an organisation that champions cultural change.

The prize is named after one of Australia’s iconic female authors, Stella Maria Sarah ‘Miles’ Franklin, and was awarded for the first time in 2013. Both nonfiction and fiction books by Australian women are eligible for entry.

The Stella Prize seeks to:

• recognise and celebrate Australian women writers’ contribution to literature
• bring more readers to books by women and thus increase their sales
• equip young readers with the skills to question gender disparities and challenge stereotypes, and help girls find their voice
• reward one writer with a $50,000 prize – money that buys a writer some measure of financial independence and thus time, that most undervalued yet necessary commodity for women, to focus on their writing

The Stella Prize runs events at bookshops, festivals and universities around Australia. We compile the annual Stella Count, tracking the number of books by men and women reviewed in our major newspapers and literary magazines.

In 2014, we launched the Stella Schools Program, which aims to inspire change and to empower students – girls and boys alike – by encouraging them to critically engage with their own reading habits and imagine a future not limited by their gender.

For updates on the Stella Prize’s events and activities, and to receive notifications of our longlist, shortlist and winner as soon as each is announced, please sign up for our enewsletter below.

Donate to Stella

The Stella Prize needs your support. Every single donation is important to us and helps to secure our future, and enables us to continue working to celebrate Australian women writers and champion cultural change. The Stella Prize has achieved much in a very short time, but its future is not secure. To ensure Stella continues as a force for good, please consider donating. It’s tax-deductible, and every dollar makes a difference.

Click Here to Make a Donation

Direct transfers can be arranged by emailing us at info@thestellaprize.com.au.

If you prefer to make a donation by mail, you can download a donation form here. Completed donation forms and cheques can be sent to: The Stella Prize, Studio 416, The Nicholas Building, 37 Swanston Street, Melbourne 3000.