AFTS award

2024 AFTS Award Winner!

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The Australian Fairy Tale Society is thrilled to announce that the winner of the 2024 AFTS Award for outstanding contributions to the field of fairy tales in Australia is Kathryn Gossow.

Kathryn Gossow

We greatly appreciate Kathryn’s contributions over many years:

  • She was a key part of the group that created and promoted the ‘South of the Sun‘ anthology – the only collection of contemporary Australian fairy tales;
  • Kathryn, with Anne E Stewart, liaised with the Qld Gallery of Modern Art to ensure Brisbane Fairy Tale Ring members and local storytellers participated in the unique 2023-2024 ‘Fairy Tales‘ exhibition, and to also sell ‘South of the Sun’ beside other fairy tale classics;
  • Liaison with the Qld Writers Centre led to a Brisbane Fairy Tale Ring panel at GenreCon 2022 and 2023;
  • Co-organised the 2022 Brisbane conference, ‘Australian Fairy Tales: Flesh or Fossil?’;
  • For many years has led the Brisbane Fairy Tale Ring, a joy she now shares with co-leader Bettina Nissen.

Congratulations Kathryn!

Kathryn’s co-nominees were glass artist Spike Deane and Melbourne performer Em Chandler, whom we warmly thank for all they do for our community!

Key dates for 2023 AFTS Award and Bursary

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2023 AFTS Award for Inspiration and Contribution to Australian Fairy Tale Culture

  • Nominate your candidate from April 24 to May 7.
  • The winner will be decided by popular vote between May 8 and May 15.
  • Nominees need not be an AFTS member, however nominators and voters must be current AFTS members.

At the 2023 Sydney Conference, we will again honour, by popular choice the person who has most inspired and contributed to Australian fairy tale culture.

To date, we’ve recognised the very different achievements of Belinda Calderone (2017), Dr Kate Forsyth (2018), Dr Robyn Floyd (2019), Lorena Carrington (2020), Louisa-John Krol (2021) and Jo Henwood (2022). Their names are engraved in our permanent Award, created by Spike Deane.

For 2023, we’re asking for your nominations, from which the finalists will be selected based on their body of work. This will have enduring significance due to its a) originality, b) influence, c) beauty or quality, d) depth of insight and breadth of scope, e) contribution to understanding of Australian fairy tales.

More details about the Award, and previous winners and finalists are here.

2023 Bursary – travel to the NSW conference!

  • The AFTS Executive will make a decision by May 14, 2023, from applications received between April 24 and May 8.

One AFTS bursary is on offer to a current member, who needs assistance to attend our Sydney conference. The bursary will cover a) transport and accommodation costs to $400, and b) a ‘fairy godmother/father’ as conference mentor.

Please note that the bursary holder is responsible for their own registration cost as detailed here. All best. We look forward to seeing you in Sydney!

2019 AFTS Award winner

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2019 AFTS award ann

Congrats Dr Robyn Floyd on winning the 2019 Australian Fairy Tale Society’s national Fairy Tale Award! The prize acknowledges contributions to the fairy-tale field in Australia. Robyn is an expert on Australian fairy tales, exploring the history and impact of their publication, with her PhD thesis and blog, Early Australian Fairy Tales: https://robynelainefloyd.blogspot.com/ 
She’s served on our Committee, presented seminars and frequently contributed to our Ezine.