Join us for a celebratory evening in which 12 extraordinary, underrepresented writers emerge into the limelight.
Tickets are available now for the Creative Future Writers’ Award Digital Showcase 2020, featuring highlights and readings from the 12 outstanding winners of the UK’s only national writing competition and development programme for all underrepresented writers. The showcase includes work by writers from working-class, LGBTQIA+, and black and minority ethnic backgrounds.
The Creative Future Writers’ Award is an annual development programme that includes the UK’s only national writing prize for all underrepresented writers, those whose opportunities have been limited due to disability, physical and/or mental health issues, identity, or other social circumstance.
This year the competition had over 1400 entries from writers all across the UK, the highest ever number since the award began in 2013.
6 poems and 6 short stories were chosen from a shortlist of 40 entries by a judging panel of literary industry professionals, including Aki Schilz (The Literary Consultancy), Sarala Estruch (Poetry School), Kerry Hudson (Lowborn), Anthony Anaxagorou (After the Formalities), and our 2020 Writer in Residence, Akila Richards.
Winners receive a share of £12,000 worth of both cash and development prizes, from leading literature organizations including The Literary Consultancy, Curtis Brown Creative, Faber Academy, Writing Magazine, Poetry School, and Myriad Editions. Winners will also appear in an anthology produced by Jellyfish Solutions, alongside work by Kerry Hudson and Anthony Anaxagorou.
Prizes are awarded at the annual Showcase, which was set to be held at the Southbank as part of The London Literature Festival but due to the current COVID-19 restrictions, will now be online.
Tickets are free, but donations are welcomed. As a tiny charity, we use all our income to develop the work and amplify the voices of underrepresented writers.
Book tickets here http://bit.ly/CFWAshowcase2020
Our 2020 winners are:
Prose:
Platinum – Olive by Michele Powponne
Gold – Noses by Seren Thomas
Silver – The Hole by Heenali Patel
Bronze – Leftovers by Laura Leung-How
Highly Commended – You Will Have Heard of the Vet of Wuhan by Tabitha Bast
Commended – The Scottish Netball Youth Cup, 2nd Round Play-Off by Tom Ward
Poetry:
Platinum – Male Nudes by George Platt Lynes by Alex Matraxia
Gold – eating orange peel is an act against god by Chloe Elliott
Silver – Rain Journal by Ellie Jackson
Bronze – In the autumn, the barman and I visit Eden by Helen Bowell
Highly Commended – Noises by Tierney Elliott
Commended – The Long View by John Whitehouse
The awards were open to all writers whose stories are underrepresented in mainstream publishing, including writers who are disabled, writers from working-class backgrounds, black writers, minority ethnic writers, LGBTQIA+ writers, as well as those who are homeless or in temporary accommodation, carers, care-leavers, offenders or ex-offenders, addicts, survivors, refugees or travellers.
The Creative Future Writers’ Award is the UK’s first and only national writing competition aimed specifically at ALL talented, underrepresented writers. The awards showcase the work of these writers and provide the professional mentoring and development they need to break into the mainstream.
Creative Future Writers’ Award 2019 head judge and host Kerry Hudson:
‘If you want further proof that there is exceptional, unique, game-changing talent standing in plain sight on the margins of our writing community, look no further. This was the hardest judging I’ve ever done but some of the most powerful reading of my life. There’s gold here. Come discover it and then help amplify these voices and stories for all our sakes.’
