Shortlist Announcement: 10 February 2011
The Commonwealth Writers’ Prize is a prestigious international recognition of new and established writers from across the English- speaking Commonwealth. It is run by the Commonwealth Foundation, London with the support of the Macquarie Group Foundation and chaired by Nicholas Hasluck AM. This is the 25th year the Prize has been run, and this year there is a special focus in literacy programs for women to coincide with this year’s Commonwealth Day focus on the role of women.
The Prize is divided into two categories – the Best Book for 2010 and the Best First Book. There will be 6 writers short-listed in each category. The names and titles of the regional shortlist will be released on February 10.
The next stage is the announcement of the regional winners. The Commonwealth Foundation will be holding a special event on March 2 at the Macquarie Group Offices in to announce the Regional winners.
The two regional winners will then be judged by a Pan-Commonwealth panel against winners from the three other regions – South East Asia and Pacific, Europe and South Asia and The Caribbean and Canada – during the Sydney Writers’ Festival in May.
The regional judging for the Prize will remain based at the University of Wollongong for the next round in 2011-12.