The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has announced the launch of the EBRD Literature Prize 2019, in partnership with the British Council. The Prize will be awarded to the year’s best work of literary fiction translated into English and originally written in any language of the EBRD’s 38 countries of operations and published by a UK publisher.
The Prize – now in its second year — is one of the few international literature prizes which recognises both author and translator. It highlights the importance of the writer in voicing the hopes, aspirations and challenges facing people across our regions. But just as importantly, the Prize acknowledges the talent and key role of the translator in making the stories from these countries accessible to the English-speaking public.
The first prize, worth €20,000, will be equally divided between the winning author and translator. Two runners-up and their translators will receive a prize of €1,000 each.
The judging panel will announce a shortlist in early 2019 before publicising the names of the three finalists. All three finalists – the writers and translators – will be invited to London to participate in an awards ceremony and discussion at EBRD headquarters in March 2019.
Submissions for the EBRD Literature Prize 2019 may only be made by UK-based publishers for books translated into English for the first time in the period between 15 November 2017 and 14 November 2018. The deadline for submission is 1 November 2018.
The EBRD is a multilateral bank that promotes the development of the private sector and entrepreneurial initiative in 38 economies across three continents. It combines investments with policy dialogue and, through activities like its Community Initiative, also reaches out to support local societies and knowledge about EBRD countries.
