Fremantle pledges support for the City of Fremantle T.A.G. Hungerford Award for a further six years
The City of Fremantle has enhanced its reputation as a major supporter of the arts by renewing its sponsorship of one of WA’s most prestigious literary awards.
The City has been the naming sponsor of the T.A.G. Hungerford Award for the past six years, and last week the Fremantle Council unanimously decided to extend its sponsorship for a further six years.
The biennial prize is presented to an emerging West Australian writer for their first full-length, unpublished work of fiction or narrative non-fiction. Former winners have included Gail Jones, Simone Lazaroo and Brenda Walker with Miles Franklin winner Kim Scott identified for publication from the Hungerford shortlist.
The winner receives a cash prize of $12,000 from the City and a publishing contract with Fremantle Press.
Fremantle Mayor Brad Pettitt said the City was proud to be encouraging young authors through its sponsorship of the award.
‘The arts are woven into the fabric of Fremantle and contribute so much to Freo’s special character,’ Mayor Pettitt said. ‘The T.A.G. Hungerford Award is continuing to grow, with 24 per cent more entries in 2018 than the previous award in 2016.
‘As well as our sponsorship, the City’s library also works with Fremantle Press as the award administrator to provide writer development workshops which assist local writers to develop their writing skills and encourage them to enter.
‘In the 2016 award Fremantle residents were well represented, with one in six entrants coming from Fremantle – including four of the five shortlisted for the main prize.’
Fremantle Press CEO Jane Fraser said she was delighted by the decision to renew the partnership, which last year was recognised with a State Government Arts and Culture Partnership honour.
‘In 2020, the Award will mark its 30th anniversary and we are looking forward to celebrating this milestone with the City of Fremantle,’ Ms Fraser said.
The T.A.G Hungerford Award has been running for 28 years, with the City of Fremantle the naming sponsor in 2014, 2016 and 2018.
As part of the renewed sponsorship for 2020, 2022 and 2024 the award will be formally renamed the City of Fremantle Hungerford Award and prize money will be increased to $15,000.
The winner of the 2018 award will be announced at a special event on the evening of Thursday 15 November at Fremantle Arts Centre. 2016 winner Jay Martin’s book, Vodka and Apple Juice: Travels of an Undiplomatic Wife in Poland , will be launched in Fremantle on 4 September by the Hon. Simone McGurk and Councillor Hannah Fitzhardinge.