ARA Historical Novel Prize
The richest individual literary prize in Australia and New Zealand
With prize money of $155,000, the ARA Historical Novel Prize gives Australian and New Zealand historical novelists the chance to be recognised in a class of their own, with the most significant individual prize purse for literature in Australasia. The Prize incorporates both an Adult category and a category for Children and Young Adult (CYA).
2026 DATES:
Early bird entries open: 18 March at 9 am AEDT
Early bird entries close: 13 May at midnight AEST
General entries close: 17 June at 5pm AEST
Longlists Announced: 2 September
Shortlists Announced: 23 September
Winners Announced: 15 October
2026 ARA HISTORICAL NOVEL PRIZE CONTEST - CLOSED FOR SUBMISSIONS
The 2026 ARA Historical Novel Prize has closed for submissions. The prize provides Australian and New Zealand historical novelists the chance to be rewarded and recognised, with the most significant purse for any individual literary prize in Australasia. The longlists will be announced on 2 September. Subscribe to our newsletter to be the first to hear which books have been successful.
Key dates are listed above.
About the Prize
The ARA Historical Novel Prize is the result of a shared vision of the Historical Novel Society Australasia and Edward Federman, Founder, Executive Chair, and CEO of the ARA Group. Since its inception in 2020 the contest has raised the profile of dozens of historical novelists, rewarded the winners, and fostered the genre on a grander scale. Visit Past Prize Winners to learn more.
The ARA Historical Novel Prize has been made possible by the generosity of our Foundation Partner, ARA Group which is committed to supporting the arts and literature. They do this in a number of ways – as a Principal Partner of the Sydney Writers’ Festival, the Melbourne Writers Festival, the National Institute of Dramatic Art, the Monkey Baa Theatre, and the Story Factory– and now as the sponsor of this very significant literary prize.
Important dates
2026 DATES:
Early bird entries open: 18 March at 9 am AEDT
Early bird entries close: 13 May at 5pm AEST
General entries close: 17 June at 5pm AEST
Longlists Announced: 2 September
Shortlists Announced: 23 September
Winners Announced: 15 October
2025 Prize News
Shortlists
Winners
Longlists
