Intro
Media release
The annual award recognises excellence in research using the WA State archives, celebrating works that draw on historical records to uncover and share the State's stories.
This year's co-winners, announced today, are:
Photo above: Co-winners of the 2026 Margaret Medcalf award: Arthur Haynes and the Smoking Gun - a Theatre 180 production, with playwright Jenny Davis OAM and visual design and production by Josephine Jay.
Photo above: Our Horrible Asylum — a Master's dissertation and board game by Fiona Giles from The University of Notre Dame Australia.
A record 15 creative and research works were shortlisted this year, highlighting the many ways archival research can inform new work, from theatre and academic study to interactive experiences.
The winning entries demonstrate how the State's archival collections can help researchers and creatives explore the past and make it accessible to audiences today.
Named in honour of Western Australia's second State Archivist, Margaret Medcalf OAM, the award recognises outstanding work drawing on the State Archives Collection, the largest archival collection in Western Australia.
The 2026 awards also mark the year of Margaret Medcalf OAM's 100th birthday, celebrating her significant contribution to preserving Western Australia's history and ensuring the State's archival records remain accessible for future generations.
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