In 2025, Quest Apartment Hotels is proud to launch a three-year Platinum partnership with the Stella Prize – an Australian literary award that aims to celebrate the work of women and non-binary writers.

While many have heard of the Miles Franklin Literary Award, not many know that it was named after a woman: Stella Miles Franklin. Stella was an extraordinary woman, writer and lifelong advocate for women’s rights, but in spite of that, the 2011 Miles Franklin shortlist failed to feature even one book by a woman. Thus, the Stella Prize was formed, to be a major force for gender equality in literature.

Stella’s commitment to supporting greater participation by women in literature has undoubtedly shifted the cultural landscape in Australia. It’s the reason Quest is so honoured to announce this partnership, which is a natural evolution in our commitment to gender equality.

Author Emily Bitto keenly understands the power of the Stella Prize. A winner in 2015 for her novel The Strays, she says “I think I sold as many copies of the novel in the two weeks after I won the prize as I had in the whole year! It was just an incredible thing to happen. It gave me the strength to believe in myself.”

At Quest, we believe in fostering a culture of inclusivity, empowerment and creativity. Our partnership with the Stella Prize allows us to support gender equality within the literary world, celebrate exceptional writing and provide greater exposure to the voices shaping Australian literature.

This partnership includes a three-year sponsorship of the prize and its associated programs, $50,000 in cash funding annually and accommodation provided for authors and industry leaders. But we’re also thrilled to be bringing a bit of literary magic inside our walls, as well. 

Some of the most important contemporary writers in Australia have won or been shortlisted for the Stella Prize. Carpentaria author and Waanyi woman, Alexis Wright, last year became the first recipient to be awarded the Stella Prize twice – first for Tracker, in 2018, and in 2024 for Praiseworthy, a novel that tackles the impact of climate change on Aboriginal communities. Other recipients have included Jess Hill, Evie Wyld and poet Sarah Holland-Batt. 

It’s not just a once-a-year award, however. The Stella organisation’s year-round initiatives also tackle gender bias in the literary sector. 

For example, the Stella Count – Australia’s leading statistical analysis of gender bias in the field of book reviewing in Australia – has been collecting and interpreting data on the gender of authors and reviewers since the Award’s inception. In the past few years it has, for the first time, seen a decrease in the disparity between attention received by gender, in no small part due to the work of the Stella organisation. 

Another initiative, Stella ON THE GO, places a selection of free books written by Australian women authors on trams, trains, buses and public spaces across the country for people to pick up, start reading and then share again. 

Inspired by this, participating Quest apartment hotels will not only feature a book library of curated works by Stella Prize authors, we’ll also be activating a series of ‘Stella Salons’ at selected Quest locations, with author talks and book discussions.

“Stella’s mission to drive systemic change and create a more equitable literary culture aligns perfectly with Quest’s values,” says Anthea Dimitrakopoulos, General Manager Brand and ESG. “We are proud to support an initiative that not only highlights exceptional Australian literature but also makes meaningful strides toward a more inclusive future.”

Fiona Sweet, CEO and Creative Director at the Stella Prize, says “We are incredibly grateful for Quest’s generous support in helping us drive systemic change in the literary sector. This partnership will provide invaluable resources to amplify the voices of Australian women writers and connect their work with a broader audience.”

Stay tuned to find out who the 2025 Stella Prize winner is – due to be announced this May 23rd.