Rathbones Folio Prize expands into changing UK literary prize landscape with new format
Ali Smith, Jackie Kay and Guy Gunaratne are the powerhouse trio of judges who will pioneer a new, expanded format for ‘the writers’ prize’, which makes more effective use of its unique multi-genre reach.
The prize, which since 2017, has celebrated all works of literature regardless of form and is generously sponsored by Rathbone Investment Management, has decided to introduce three distinct shortlists – for Fiction, Non-Fiction and Poetry. Each category winner, selected from a shortlist of four, will receive a £2,000 prize and, as a Rathbones Folio Prize Finalist, will be entered into the competition to be chosen as the overall Rathbones Folio Prize winner, receiving an additional £30,000.
Recent winners include Colm Tóibín (Fiction) in 2022, Carmen Maria Machado (Non-Fiction) in 2021, Valeria Luiselli (Fiction) in 2020, Raymond Antrobus (Poetry) in 2019, Richard Lloyd-Parry (Non-Fiction) in 2018, Hisham Matar (Non-Fiction) in 2017, Akhil Sharma (Fiction) in 2015, and George Saunders (Fiction) in 2014.
The prize decided to refresh its format to address the changing landscape of literary prizes, including the recent discontinuation of awards such as The Costa Book Awards, and the impact this has for writers. Literary prizes are vital for writers and authors, celebrating the enormous achievements of both established and emerging writers, and providing writers a platform and crucial support for their work.
By creating a more focussed structure, and shining a light on four books from each of the genres it covers, the Prize offers readers a clearer and broader range of recommendations – and celebrates the 12 most exceptional and exciting books across each format in a given year. The Rathbones Folio Prize is unique in being the only prize in which all the books considered for the prize are selected and judged by an academy of peers. All titles considered for the Prize will continue to be nominated by the Folio Academy, which is comprised of more than 300 of the most outstanding writers working today (and which is the body from which the judges are also selected). The Prize will continue working closely with booksellers and bookshops to ensure ongoing support and placement for shortlisted and winning titles in bookshops, and through bespoke, themed events both in the lead-up to the prize ceremony and throughout the year.
Academy members will be asked for their nominations in September 2022, category shortlists will be revealed in a reception at the offices of sponsors Rathbone Investment Management in early 2023 and the category and overall winners will be announced at a Prize Ceremony at the British Library in March 2023.
Executive Director Minna Fry and Co-founder and Chair of the Prize Andrew Kidd, said: ‘We and our brilliantly supportive sponsors Rathbones are hugely excited about this new refinement and expansion of the existing format for the Rathbones Folio Prize. It will significantly aid what has always been this Prize’s ultimate aim: to help publishers and booksellers to put more of the best books being published today – as chosen by writers themselves (a feature unique to this prize) – into the hands of more readers.’