Burt Award for Caribbean Literature. Deadline: 24 October 2014

The Burt Award for Caribbean Literature


Submissions are now being accepted for the second round of the Burt Award for Caribbean Literature until October 24th, 2014. Books, self-published books, graphic novels and manuscripts written for young adults by Caribbean authors are eligible. To consult the guidelines and access the entry forms, click here.
Established by CODE with the generous support of Canadian philanthropist William (Bill) Burt and the Literary Prizes Foundation, in partnership with Bocas Lit Fest, the Burt Award for Caribbean Literature is an annual Award given to three English-language literary works for Young Adults (aged 12 through 18) written by Caribbean authors. A First Prize of $10,000 CAD, a Second Prize of $7,000 CAD and a Third Prize of $5,000 CAD will be awarded to the winning authors this year.
Publishers of winning titles will be awarded a guaranteed purchase of up to 2,500 copies. Published books and self-published books published between 1 October 2012 and 23 October 2014, as well as unpublished manuscripts, are eligible for the award. All submissions must be received by the Bocas Lit Fest by 24 October 2014. The winners will be announced at the NGC Bocas Lit Fest in Trinidad and Tobago in April 2015.
For additional information, please contact burtaward@bocaslitfest.com or Catherine Belshaw, CODE’s Literary Awards Officer, at cbelshaw@codecan.org.
The winner of the inaugural Burt Award for Caribbean Literature was All Over Again by Jamaican author A-dZiko Simba Gegele, published by Blouse and Skirt Books (an imprint of Blue Moon Publishing).


ABOUT THE PRIZE

The Burt Award for Caribbean Literature is an annual Award that will be given to three English-language literary works for young adults (aged 12 through 18) written by Caribbean authors. Established by CODE – a Canadian charitable organization that has been supporting literacy and learning for over 50 years – in collaboration with William (Bill) Burt and the Literary Prizes Foundation and the Bocas Lit Fest, the Award aims to provide engaging and culturally-relevant books for young people across the Caribbean.
Up to three prizes will be awarded each year to the authors of the winning titles: a First Prize of $10,000 CAD, a Second Prize of $7,000 CAD and a Third Prize of $5,000 CAD. Publishers of winning titles will be awarded a guaranteed purchase of up to 2,500 copies. Copies purchased by the program will be donated to select libraries, schools and literacy organizations for distribution throughout the region.
The intent of the prize is to champion literacy, build language skills and foster the love and habit of reading amongst youth and young adults. The specific objectives are:
to recognize excellence in literature for Caribbean youth
to support and motivate the development of and access to high quality, culturally relevant reading materials at a critical stage of learning
to support the development and acquisition of language skills and to help foster enthusiasm for and a love of reading
to stimulate and support the publishing industry in the Caribbean and celebrate the rich literary heritage of the Caribbean
to increase the stock of locally produced, English-language literature in libraries, schools, and community centres throughout the Caribbean.
The call for submissions for the second edition of the Burt Award for Caribbean Literature closes on 24 October 2014. See the Burt Award For Caribbean Literature Guidelines and Entry Forms 2015.

For further information, please email us at burtaward@bocaslitfest.com or telephone at (868) 222-7099.



The winners of the inaugural Burt Award for Caribbean Literature 2014 are:
First place: All Over Again by A-dZiko Gegele, Jamaica (published by Blouse & Skirt Books)
Second place: Musical Youth by Joanne Hillhouse, Antigua and Barbuda (manuscript to be published)
Third place: Inner City Girl by Colleen Smith-Dennis, Jamaica (published by LMH Publishing)