New Literary Award Champions Refugee and Migrant Voices
A significant new fiction prize has been announced, dedicated to amplifying the voices of writers from refugee and migrant backgrounds. The Footnote x Counterpoints Prize for Fiction offers a substantial £15,000 total award alongside a coveted publishing contract with Footnote Press.
Prize Details and Submission Guidelines
Launching officially on Thursday, this initiative is a collaboration between Footnote Press, an imprint of Bonnier Books UK, and Counterpoints Arts, a national organisation focused on arts and migration. The prize is open to writers currently residing in the UK or Ireland and aims to uncover new literary talent whose work reflects experiences of migration, displacement, courage, and belonging.
The winner will receive a £7,500 cash prize and an additional £7,500 advance as part of a publication agreement. Submissions are now open and will close on 13 February. Entrants must provide an 8,000–10,000-word fiction sample and a synopsis of at least 1,500 words.
Distinguished Judges and Public Events
The judging panel features an esteemed group of literary figures, including Dina Nayeri, author of The Ungrateful Refugee, Bea Carvalho, Head of Books at Waterstones, Serena Arthur, Commissioning Editor at Footnote Press, and Almir Koldzic, Director and Co-founder of Counterpoints Arts.
Koldzic emphasised the urgency of the award, stating, "In a time marked by deepening divisions and intolerance, the prize feels especially necessary and urgent. We hope it will help us amplify remarkable new literary voices and lived experiences of displacement."
The Southbank Centre in London will support the prize by hosting a public event in May, where shortlisted writers will read and discuss their work. The shortlist will be announced in May, with the overall winner revealed during Refugee Week in June.
A Shift from Nonfiction to Fiction
This marks the second collaboration between the two organisations on a literary prize. The inaugural award in 2023 was for narrative nonfiction and was won by Sabrin Hasbun for Crossing: A Love Story Between Italy and Palestine.
Serena Arthur of Footnote Press expressed her excitement about the new focus, saying, "The prize is still centred around themes that are core to both Footnote’s ethos and list, but I’m especially excited to be turning to fiction this time around."
Full eligibility details and terms are available on the Bonnier Books UK website.
