In 2024, we were delighted to announce the ASA Medal was awarded to Ann James.

Ann James is one of Australia’s most prolific and accomplished illustrators, with over 70 award-winning books illustrated including The Midnight Gang, Dog In, Cat Out, Little Humpty, Lucy Goosey, and Goodbye House, Hello House. She has made a stunning contribution to Australian literary culture and has been unparalleled in her generous support of the Australian illustrating community.

Beyond her acclaimed illustrating career, Ann James has given back to Australian literature generously, both in terms of her advocacy and her mentorship of Australian illustrators. James established the Society of Book Illustrators (SoBI) with David Wong and Terry Denton in 1988, and then coordinated SoBI until the merger with the ASA in 1996. James then proceeded to serve on the ASA board for 20 years, fighting long and hard for Educational Lending Rights, establishing the ASA Style File, and frequently sharing her expertise through portfolio assessments and professional development events.

In collaboration with Ann Haddon, Ann James established Books Illustrated, to elevate and celebrate the art of picture book illustration. James was a founding director of the Australian Children’s Laureate Foundation and served on the board for 10 years. As a mentor, she has supported some of Australia’s most successful new illustrators, including Sadami Konchi and Karen Briggs. James has worked tirelessly with the Indigenous Literacy Foundation as an ambassador, running writing and illustration programs, and aiding the publication of picture books in remote Indigenous communities. James’ reach has been international, helping to establish the Hello! from Australia Publishing Collective Stand at the Bologna Book Fair, and advancing the international profile of Australian authors and illustrators.

In 2023, we were delighted to announce the ASA Medal was awarded to Helen Garner.

Helen Garner is one of Australia’s most beloved, celebrated, and admired authors, whose work has been published to acclaim for more than 40 years. Her impact on Australian literary culture is immeasurable and unparalleled.

Garner’s literary output includes novels, stories, screenplays and works of non-fiction for which she has been widely awarded. Her debut novel, Monkey Grip was awarded the National Book Council Award in 1978, Cosmo Cosmolino was shortlisted for the Miles Franklin Literary Award in 1993, her Time feature Did Daniel Have to Die? was awarded the 1993 Walkley Award for Best Feature Writing, and The Spare Room won the 2008 Victorian Premier’s Vance Palmer Prize for Fiction, the Queensland Premier’s Fiction Book Award and the 2009 Barbara Jefferis Award.

In 2006, Garner was awarded the Melbourne Prize for Literature, in 2019 the Australia Council Award for Lifetime Achievement in Literature and in 2020 the Lloyd O’Neil Award for Services to the Australian Book Industry at the Australian Book Industry Awards (ABIA).

Aside from Garner’s fearless and compelling writing, and her unique depiction of Australian people, society, and urban life in both Melbourne and Sydney, the ASA Board deeply admires Garner’s advocacy and support of other writers. Garner has generously given time to mentor other writers, and has inspired, challenged and entertained countless readers. She has lent her name and support to ASA advocacy and recently made a powerful submission to the National Cultural Policy consultation.

The Australian Society of Authors (ASA) is proud to announce that the 2021 ASA Medal has been awarded to Bruce Pascoe!

Established in 2003, the ASA Medal is awarded biennially to an Australian author or illustrator who has made an outstanding contribution to Australian culture, both as a creator and an advocate.

Bruce Pascoe is an award-winning author of over 30 books, an editor, publisher, anthologist, researcher and educator. Bruce’s literary output ranges from short stories to essays, reviews, textbooks, children’s fiction, adult fiction, anthropology, indigenous language and history. Much of his work has shone a spotlight on the history of our First Nations people, sparked dialogue, widely engaged Australians on a re-consideration of Aboriginal agriculture, and challenged colonial assumptions.

The ASA regards Pascoe’s contribution as vital in this age of truth-telling. The Society deeply admires his literary works, as well as his commitment to mentoring and fostering emerging writers throughout his career.

The Australian Society of Authors (ASA) is delighted to announce that David Marr presented The ASA Medal to one of Australia’s most loved and respected writers, Thomas Keneally AO. The Medal is awarded to an Australian author or illustrator who has made an outstanding contribution to Australian culture as both a creator and an advocate.

Thomas expressed his “delight and pleasure in accepting this wonderful ASA gong! I hope my advocacy of support for writers has some years to run yet, and this extraordinary honour will stoke any pro-writing industry genes I have. I have always believed, writing is a craft to be as widely encouraged as possible. It is a gift, inestimable in substance, to our community.”

The ceremony was held in person on Thursday 14 November at WeWork, 100 Harris St, Sydney NSW 2009.

The Australian Society of Authors (ASA) is proud to announce that the 2017 ASA medal was awarded to Edel Wignell at a ceremony in Sydney on November 11.

Established in 2003, the ASA Medal is awarded biennially in recognition of an outstanding contribution to the Australian writing community. The medal complements the ASA’s focus as an advocate for the rights of authors and illustrators.

Edel Wignell has been writing full time for children and adults since 1979, and part-time for ten years prior to that. Describing herself as a writer, compiler, journalist and poet, she has 100 books for children, and her writing for adults has been published in more than 100 journals, newspapers, collections and on the Internet, and read on radio.

From July 2013, Edel Wignell bequeathed all her writing earnings and copyright to the Australian Society of Authors. This was an act of extraordinary generosity, which has benefited many members over the last 4 years, including the recipients of an annual Edel Wignell mentorship. She holds a very special place in the heart of the organisation.

Sadly Wignell was not able to accept her award in person but was delighted to have won the honour and two ASA board directors will deliver the medal in the coming weeks.