Just three weeks until the Aurealis Awards

Posted on March 22, 2015 by aaconvenor

It’s time to start getting excited! Plan your bling (if you’re dressing up) or buy up your hair gel (if you’re going to come in mid-90s glam).

Ceremony MC Margo Lanagan is going to be reading excerpts from the 1995 Aurealis Award winners as part of the ceremony. It’s going to be fascinating to see what differences have developed over the past 20 years (the covers are certainly very different). Margo is a wonderful reader of words (as well as being a pretty good writer of them) and they are sure to be a highlight of the evening.

It all starts at 7pm with a cocktail reception – note we’ve just got some nibblies available, so make sure you have something to eat before you come. The ceremony will begin at 8pm.

Following, we’ll be adjourning to Novotel Canberra to continue the celebrations.

Don’t have your tickets yet? You can purchase them online here until Friday 10 April. However you’ll be able to purchase tickets at the door as well. Tickets cost $50.

I look forward to seeing you all in Canberra on 11 April.

Nicole Murphy
Aurealis Awards 2015 Convenor

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ANNOUNCEMENT: 2014 Aurealis Awards Shortlist

Posted on February 27, 2015 by Tehani

Aurealis Awards - Finalist - high res2014 Aurealis Awards finalists announced

Conflux Inc., organisers of the 2014 Aurealis Awards, are delighted to announce the finalists for the 2014 Aurealis Awards.

Judging Coordinator, Tehani Wessely, said that with over 750 entries across the twelve categories, the judges had a hugely challenging job.

“As is always the case, the judges agreed that entries were of a very high standard and the final decisions were subject to much debate among the panellists. The competition becomes stronger every year.

“The trend towards quality e-published fiction continued in 2014, with a high percentage of entries published this way. Both traditional publishing and the smaller presses are well represented in the shortlists, reflecting the general entry trend.

“We would like to thank all the judges for their time and effort judging of these awards.”

Winners of the 2014 Aurealis Awards and the Convenors’ Award for Excellence will be announced at the Aurealis Awards ceremony, on the evening of Saturday 11 April at the University House, Canberra. Details of the evening and a link to the online booking website are available at www.aurealisawards.org

For further information about the Awards please contact the Convenor, Nicole Murphy, at aurealisawards@gmail.com

2014 Aurealis Awards – Finalists

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Blast back to the 90s!

Posted on February 23, 2015 by aaconvenor

nilI’m delighted to announce that this year’s ceremony (11 April, University House, 7pm) will be hosted by the wonderfully talented and extremely funny Margo Lanagan!

Because it is the 20th convening of the awards, we’re going on a bit of time trip back to 1995 – the year the very first Aurealis Award nominees and winners were published. The ceremony will include a celebration of those first winners (you can find out who they were on the list of all past nominees and winners, available here).

People usually dress up for the ceremony. This year, I’m encouraging everyone to come as if they were going for a night on the town in 1995. Not sure what to wear? Find ‘Friends’ or ‘Seinfeld’ or ‘Mad about You’ (one of them at least is playing on television at the moment) and check it out. Or flick through your photo album, if you’re old enough. I had this fabulous white dress, massive shoulder pads, no waist, detailing in buttons and false pockets. Of course, in 1995 I still had my natural hair colour too…

It’s going to be a fabulously fun night – I hope to see you all there! You can buy tickets now.

Nicole Murphy
Aurealis Awards Convenor

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Tickets on sale today

Posted on January 11, 2015 by aaconvenor

Tickets to the 2014 Aurealis Awards Ceremony now on sale!

The ceremony will take place 11 April 2015 at University House, Canberra, Australia, starting at 7pm.

If you buy your ticket before 11 March 2015, it costs just $40. Otherwise, the full ticket price will be $50.

Buy tickets.

As there has been some questions asked because Supanova Melbourne has been scheduled for the same weekend, I’d like to talk about why we’re sticking with the date of 11 April.

I’ve looked at the possibility of moving the ceremony but it can’t be done. Firstly, it would necessitate a change of venue, meaning a loss of the deposit already paid by Conflux. Secondly, it can’t be moved forward because of both Swancon and the timetable set up for the judges and nominations of finalists. It can’t be moved backwards either, as that will require someone else to take over convening the awards as I won’t be available to do so. Finally, there are people who have already made travel arrangements to come to Canberra based on that date and it’s not fair to them to move it.

Knowing that there is a clash and thus the numbers of people who attend the ceremony will probably be reduced means we’re abandoning the idea of having a dinner ceremony (as was previously advertised) and going back to the traditional cocktail reception then award ceremony as it’s much more financially viable.

I am sorry for those disappointed by this, but unfortunately in this circumstance there is nothing we can do but keep it where it is.

Nicole Murphy
Convenor, 2014 Aurealis Awards

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The Convenors’ Award for Excellence: the nominees are…

Posted on January 11, 2015 by Tehani

Traditionally, the nominees for the Convenors’ Award for Excellence have not been announced. However, with the clarification of the rules made this year, we feel it is now appropriate to make these nominations public, mostly because they are all great things you may not otherwise have come across, so we’d like to make sure you know about them, but also to help people figure out what might be eligible in future.

A reminder what this award is for:

The Convenors’ Award for Excellence is awarded at the discretion of the convenors for a particular achievement in speculative fiction or related areas in the year that cannot otherwise be judged for the Aurealis Awards.

It can be for a work of non-fiction, artwork, film, television, electronic or multimedia work, or that which brings credit or attention to the speculative fiction genres.

The award was originally known as The Convenors’ Award for Excellence and was renamed in 2002 after Peter McNamara (d. 2004), publisher, editor and the original Aurealis Awards convenor, shortly after he was diagnosed with a terminal illness. In 2014, the award guidelines were revised and it was renamed to its original form, to avoid confusion with the Peter McNamara Achievement Award presented annually at the National Science Fiction Convention.

And the nominees are:

“It Grows!”, a film by Ryan Cauchi and Nick Stathopoulos

“Night Terrace”, a serial podcast story, produced by John Richards, Ben McKenzie, David Ashton, Petra Elliott and Lee Zachariah 

“The Australian Women Writers Challenge”, an online reviewing initiative

“Useless Questions”, a radio play by Laura Goodin, performed by fans at Conflux.

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2014 Aurealis Awards entries are CLOSED

Posted on December 8, 2014 by Tehani

Entries for the 2014 Aurealis Awards entries are now closed. All physical or ebook submissions of entries must be received by the judges by 23 December in order to be considered. The judging panels are reading madly and we anticipate shortlists will be released in early March, prior to the Awards announcements and spectacular 20th anniversary celebration on Saturday April 11 2015 in Canberra. Save the date!

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LAST CHANCE: 24 HOURS LEFT TO ENTER!

Posted on December 7, 2014 by Tehani

 

keep-calm-today-is-the-last-day

There are just 24 hours left to get your entries in for the 2014 Aurealis Awards. Categories include Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Novels and Short Stories, Children’s Work, Young Adult (novel and short), Anthologies, Collections and Illustrated Work. See the Rules and the FAQ for more information, or email aajudges@gmail.com for more information.

All Australian speculative work first published in 2014 is eligible for entry – don’t miss out, ENTER HERE!

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Support the Aurealis Awards

Posted on November 22, 2014 by aaconvenor

In order to make the awards ceremony as fantastic as possible, we need all the support we can get.

If you’ve got skills and time to volunteer, then email aurealisawards@gmail.com and let us know how you can help.

If you’re in the position to support us financially, please see the sponsorship and exhibition prospectus (click on the link below). There’s several opportunities for you to get involved, from as little as $50.

Of course, the best way to be involved is to come to the ceremony. It will take place April 11, 2015 at University House, ANU, Canberra. Tickets will go on sale by the end of the year. This year, to celebrate the twentieth time the awards have been convened, we’re having a dinner ceremony. And we’ve got an exceptional MC for the evening, although I’m staying mum on that one!

Hope to see you all there!

Nicole Murphy

Aurealis Awards 2014 Convenor

Download the sponsorship prospectus here.

 

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Entries closing soon!

Posted on November 21, 2014 by Tehani

Don'tForget

Only FIFTEEN (15) days until entries close for the 2014 Aurealis Awards on December 7 and this weekend is a fantastic time to get organised! Talk to your publisher, prepare your files, and make sure your work is considered – we’re working hard behind the scenes to try to get all Australian 2014 work in, but we’d hate to miss anything!

Remember, entry is free for all short story categories and Children’s work, and submission of electronic files for entries is encouraged (although print is still welcome).

Check out our current list of entries and let us know of any work you think should be there, or make your entry here!

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Record opening entry levels!

Posted on August 13, 2014 by Tehani

Since entries open just 10 days ago, submissions have been pouring in for the Awards, with more than 150 works processed in just over a week! We will be regularly updating the Entries page to show which works have already been submitted, and aim to have the first list up this weekend.

Thank you to everyone who has already entered (the judges really appreciate early entries!) and to everyone who has tweeted, Facebooked and blogged about us being open. Keep the entries coming! 

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