The 2026 Northern Territory History Book Award recognises the most significant historical book about the Northern Territory published in the previous 12 months. The Award is administered by Library & Archives NT. It is free to enter.
To apply, your book must be a work on Northern Territory history, written in English or one of the First Nations languages of the Northern Territory, available for general sale, and published between 1 January and 31 December 2025.
Once you have completed this entry form you must post or hand-deliver four 13copies of your book to Library & Archives NT by 13 April 2026 to:
Northern Territory History Book Award Library & Archives NT GPO Box 42 Darwin NT 0801
Breaches of any terms or conditions will render an entry ineligible.
There is no word limit. Scripts must have a performance time of more than 30 minutes. Script treatments are ineligible.
The winner of the Brown’s Mart Theatre Award will receive a $1,000 prize, an NT Writers’ Centre membership and a double pass to select shows in Brown's Mart’s performance program.
Entries close midnight Monday 11 May 2026.
A factually accurate work, written with attention to literary style and technique. Can take the form of a biography, autobiography, memoir, diary entry, travel writing, food writing, literary journalism, or criticism.
Word limit: 3,000 words.
The winner of the Charles Darwin University Creative Non-Fiction Award will receive a $500 prize, an NT Writers’ Centre membership and a double pass to select shows in Brown's Mart’s performance program.
Entries close midnight Monday 11 May 2026.
A referenced academic essay on a topic relating to the Northern Territory.
Word limit: 3,000 words
The winner of the Charles Darwin University Essay Award will receive a $1,000 prize, an NT Writers’ Centre membership and a double pass to select shows in Brown's Mart’s performance program.
Entries close midnight Monday 11 May 2026.
A blog post, fan fiction, short story, fictional diary entry or fictional letter.
Word limit: 500 words. Entries limited to three entries per person.
The winner of the Flash Fiction Award will receive a $600 prize, an NT Writers’ Centre membership and a double pass to select shows in Brown's Mart’s performance program.
Entries close midnight Monday 11 May 2026.
A piece of creative writing, either poetry or short story, by a person aged 12 to 18 years as of 1 January 2026.
Limit of three poetry entries with a 300-line limit OR a short story with a 3,000-word limit per person.
The winner of the Kath Manzie Youth Award will receive a $800 prize, an NT Writers’ Centre membership and a double pass to select shows in Brown's Mart’s performance program.
Entries close midnight Monday 11 May 2026.
A single poem up to 300 lines.
Entries limited to three separate poetry entries per person.
The winner of the NT Writers’ Centre Poetry Award will receive a $1,000 prize, an NT Writers’ Centre membership and a double pass to select shows in the Brown's Mart performance program.
Entries close midnight Monday 11 May 2026.
An original work of short fiction.
Word limit: up to 3,000 words
The winner of the Zip Print Short Story Award will receive a $1,000 prize, an NT Writers’ Centre membership and a double pass to select shows in the Brown's Mart performance program.
Entries close midnight Monday 11 May 2026.