Literary Awards

Started in 1993, the Hamilton Literary Awards is presented annually to recognize and celebrate published authors from the Greater Hamilton Area and Six Nations of the Grand River. Awards are presented across five categories: Fiction, Non-Fiction, Poetry, Children’s Literature, and an honorary award named in the legacy of the late literary scholar, Kerry J. Schooley, in recognition of literature that is evocative of the City of Hamilton.

In 2023, Hamilton Arts Council formalized a partnership with GritLIT: Hamilton's Readers and Writers Festival and Hamilton Public Library to present the Awards to audiences across the province!

Annual Celebration

the Hamilton Literary Awards

Details for the 2025 Hamilton Literary Awards are available below. Ceremony information will be published at a later date.

Categories

KERRY SCHOOLEY BOOK AWARD

Each year, awards are presented across five categories: Fiction, Non-Fiction, Poetry, Children's Literature, and an honourary category that recognizes books that are evocative of the City of Hamilton, named in legacy of Kerry J. Schooley.

Applications

How to apply

To be eligible in the Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry and Children’s Literature categories, an entry must be:

a published book of literary merit with an ISBN number
a minimum of 48 bound pages (children’s literature or poetry books may be shorter)
published within the previous calendar year of 2024 (Jan 1, 2024 - Dec 31, 2024)
written by an author living or working in the Greater Hamilton Area a minimum of twelve (12) consecutive months up to the time of the award submission deadline
single-authored or co-authored (maximum two authors, provided that at least one (1) author meet the residency requirement outlined above)
children's literature includes books for readers up to twelve (12) years old. YA (Young Adult) is included in the Fiction category

To be eligible in The Kerry Schooley Book Award category, an entry must be:

a published book of literary merit with an ISBN number
a minimum of 48 bound pages
published within the previous calendar year of 2024 (Jan 1, 2024 - Dec 31, 2024)
written by an author who has lived or worked in the Greater Hamilton Area for a portion of their life, who may or may not be a current resident at the time of the award submission deadline
single-authored or co-authored (maximum two authors, provided that at least one (1) author meet the residency requirement outlined above)

Ineligible entries include, but are not limited to:

translations
books written by authors who are deceased at the time the title was submitted to the program
anthologies and books with works by more than two authors
ghostwritten books
manuscripts
textbooks, catalogues, cookbooks, reference books, academic publications, technical manuals, self-help books
reprints or republications of titles originally published at an earlier date
books submitted by City of Hamilton elected representatives

This year, we are accepting submissions in the form of .PDFs. Please note, at least three (3) submissions need to be received in order for a category to advance.

An established volunteer committee will read and score all submissions to establish a Longlist, based on the scoring criteria outlined below:

Not Recommended: The book has significant issues in multiple key areas (e.g., plot, character, research, writing quality, originality).

Limited Potential: Major weaknesses prevent the book from being a compelling or informative read.

Showing Promise: The book has a solid premise and demonstrates some foundational writing skills. It's an adequate read but has noticeable flaws in execution, pacing and/or depth.

Contender: This is an engaging read with a clear sense of purpose & good overall quality. It effectively hooks the reader & maintains interest. With minor weaknesses, it is a candidate for further consideration.

Strong Contender: A very engaging and well-executed read.

1/10

2-3/10

4-5/10

6-7/10

8-9/10

10/10

Exceptional Potential: The book immediately demonstrates high-quality writing. The book stands out for its originality, voice and/or impact.

It is anticipated that the Longlist will be announced at the end of September. If your book is longlisted, we'll contact you requesting four (4) physical copies of your book at that time.

In each category, a three (3)-person selection panel composed of literary arts professionals will review and score the books to establish a Shortlist and an Award Recipient. The criterion for selection will be available shortly.

The anticipated Shortlist announcement will be made along with information about the Awards Ceremony at the beginning of November 2025.

Before applying, be sure to read the "Eligibility" and "Selection Process" tabs above. We will be checking that all submissions meet the eligibility criteria prior to beginning the selection process.

How to submit your application:

Authors in the Fiction, Non-Fiction, Poetry and Children's Literature categories must create a profile on The Arty Crowd. For assistance in creating your profile, please contact community@hamiltonartscouncil.ca
You'll submit a .PDF of your book using the link below
The entry fee is $20.* Books entered in multiple categories will require a separate fee for each entry. For example, if you submit a book to two (2) categories, your total entry fee is $40.

*We want to ensure the entry fee doesn't prevent anyone from participating in the Literary Awards program. If the entry fee is a barrier for you, please contact programs@hamiltonartscouncil.ca for assistance.

You can submit your entry fee using one of these options:

Drop off cash or a cheque to Hamilton Arts Council’s office: 115 King Street East, 3rd floor, Hamilton, ON L8N 1A9. Please call 289-259-5387 upon arrival.
Mail a cheque to Hamilton Arts Council’s office.
Send an e-transfer to executive@hamiltonartscouncil.ca (ref: Literary Awards **insert author's name**).

Important considerations:

Your entry fee MUST be received by the deadline. Late submissions, including late fee payments, will not be accepted.
If a title is submitted for a category and it doesn’t meet eligibility requirements, no refunds will be issued.