Congratulations to Dulwich Hill local Andrea James on winning the Nick Enright Prize for Playwriting at the 2026 NSW Literary Awards for her remarkable work, The Black Woman of Gippsland. The NSW Literary Awards have a proud history stretching back to 1979, when they were established by Premier Neville Wran with a clear conviction that the arts must take their proper place in social priorities. Now among the most prestigious and richest literary awards in Australia, they represent the very highest recognition for Australian writers across all genres. To win the Nick Enright Prize within this distinguished tradition is a significant achievement — and Andrea James has earned it with a work of extraordinary power. Poetic, emotionally rich and deeply intelligent, The Black Woman of Gippsland gives voice to First Nations stories that have long been silenced, while challenging audiences to confront how colonial myths have shaped the way histories are recorded and believed. Commissioned through Melbourne Theatre Company's NEXT STAGE Writers' Program, this is theatre that does not simply move people — it demands action. Congratulations Andrea — a richly deserved recognition of an outstanding and courageous work.