We are excited to share the shortlist for the 2024 Hope Prize.

This year, 20 outstanding pieces have been selected from a pool of over 1400 submissions from around the world.

Our judging process ensured that all entries were anonymised, allowing our panel to evaluate each piece without any author information.

These exceptional works will be featured in the Simon & Schuster Hope Prize anthology, set for publication on 4 December 2024, with all royalties going to Beyond Blue. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to all the shortlisted writers and to every writer who submitted their work.

Alison Batten Leaving

Julia Burns She is Gone

Carol Byrne The Black Hole

Sam Cecins The Chicken Thief

Will Cordner Tramlines

Jake Cullen The Cat at No 4

Kristen Dagg Wetlands

Bronwyn Hall Jam It

Kane Heng Mother's Milk

Rebecca Higgie Tinged with Gold

Emmylou Hocking If God Is The Red Gum

Isaac Hogarth Beasts of Burden

Eleanor Kirk WWRGD?

An Ngo Lang The Best Pieces Not from Me

Tessa Lunney Ultramarine

John Merkel Shadows Cast by the Moon

Madelyn Postman Things My Dad Told Me

Zubia Sarfraz A Veiled Courage

Ani Kayode Somtochukwu The Sorrow and the Pity

Jacqueline Warner Creating Ripples

The Hope Prize 2024 Winners

First place awarded $10,000 AUD by Simon & Schuster Australia John Merkel with Shadows Cast by the Moon

Second place awarded $2,000 AUD by Readings and The Hope Prize Jacqueline Warner with Creating Ripples

Third place awarded $1,000 each by Readings and The Hope Prize Carol Byrne with The Black Hole and Will Cordner with Tramlines