Andrea Goldsmith

Winner Best Writing Award 2015, Melbourne Prize for Literature 2015

From the moment I heard that my novel, The Memory Trap, was on the shortlist of the Melbourne Prize for Best Writing, my Melbourne Prize experience has been all joy. The novel was published in 2013, a long time ago in publishing years, but with the prize, things started to move again. Suddenly book clubs wanted to include the novel on their 2016 lists, and particularly gratifying was that my publishers decided to make another push for overseas’ publication. This occurred solely because of the Melbourne Prize. I have been recently advised by HarperCollins that The Memory Trap will be available in other regions in 12-18 months. This is thrilling news – and it would not have happened without the Melbourne Prize win. What I find remarkable – actually unique among literary prizes – is that 5 months after the prize was announced, Simon Warrender and his team are still promoting the book. In fact, just this week there has been a new posting on the Melbourne Prize Facebook page. This is a great gift to a writer. I am so grateful: the Melbourne Prize has given The Memory Trap a second life and a significant boost to my career.

Geoff Robinson

Winner Melbourne Prize for Urban Sculpture 2014

Receiving the 2014 Melbourne Prize for Urban Sculpture for the project 15 locations/15 minutes/15 days was a tremendous high point in my art career so far. The prize has enabled me to practice full time as an artist over 2015 which led to the production of three major projects; Room Overlay at WestSpace Gallery, Turn right at the palm tree(s)/Propositions for change at Latrobe Regional Gallery (as a part of the Gertrude Regional Residencies) and Itinerant Sound at C3 Contemporary Art Space (as a part of Feeling Material). The financial benefits of the prize has also allowed me to upgrade my photo, video and sound recording equipment and studio tools. Most importantly the prize has established a level of recognition in my art practice amongst my peers and the greater contemporary art community.

Brett Dean

Winner Melbourne Prize for Music 2013

Throughout the many and varied avenues of support for the arts and arts practitioners in Australia, one finds a healthy number of initiatives specifically designed to support young and emerging artists, including the professional development components of the Melbourne Prize. It's one thing to get that start, however it's much harder to maintain a long-term career as a creative artist in Australia. Undertakings like the Melbourne Prize that recognise “body of work” type contributions of mid-career and older artists to the artistic and cultural health and diversity of the nation are a very rare but treasured form of recognition. The value of this prize to its recipient artists is impossible to overstate. For me personally, winning the 2013 Melbourne Prize for Music has given me invaluable freedom to concentrate fully on the completion of a major operatic project without having to seek additional income elsewhere during this time. I am honoured to be an alumni of the Melbourne Prize and applaud their ongoing efforts in identifying and rewarding excellence in artistic practice.

Stephen Magnusson

Winner Outstanding Musicians Award 2013, Melbourne Prize for Music 2013

Supported by Media/Press Examples and Artist’s Own words

Click here to read the full article of Stephen Magnusson’s recollections of the Melbourne Prize for Music.