‘Support local writers’: Submissions now open for 2026 Victoria Book Prizes

Once again, the City of Victoria has opened submissions for this year’s Victoria Book Prizes to recognize the talents of local authors and poets. 

There are three prizes of $5,000 available for the three categories, which are the City of Victoria Book Prize for fiction or non-fiction, the City of Victoria Children’s Book Prize and the DC Reid Poetry Prize. 

The Victoria Book Prize Society has now been around for more than 20 years to celebrate creativity and bring local literary works to wider audiences. 

The City has served as a long-time sponsor of the prizes, providing support in recognizing the vital role of the literary arts. 

“The Victoria Book Prizes highlight the depth of literary talent in our community. The City is proud to support local writers and the cultural contributions they make in Victoria,” said Nichola Reddington, assistant director of business and community relations with the City of Victoria. 

In 2025, there were over 40 books that were considered in the three categories. 

The winners of last year’s Victoria Book Prizes were: 

• City of Victoria Children’s Book Prize – Uma Krishnaswami, Birds on the Brain
• City of Victoria Book Prize – Barbara Black, Little Fortified Stories 
• DC Reid Poetry Book Prize – Melanie Siebert, Signal Infinities

“Victoria’s writing community continues to astonish us with the range and quality of work being produced here,” said Christina Haska, president of the Victoria Book Prize Society.  

“These prizes are our way of ensuring that talent receives the recognition it deserves, while connecting readers with the richness of our region’s literary voices.”

According to the City of Victoria, authors and publishers may submit titles that were published between April 1st, 2025, and March 31st, 2026. The deadline for submissions will be May 31st, 2026.

Following submissions closing, a shortlist of three titles in each category will be announced in September. Prize winners will then be announced in November.