A new £15,000 fiction prize for writers from refugee and migrant backgrounds has been announced by Footnote Press and Counterpoints Arts. The Footnote x Counterpoints prize, launching on Thursday, aims to uncover literary voices whose work reflects experiences of migration, displacement, courage and belonging.
Open to writers living in the UK or Ireland, the prize focuses on fiction for the first time this year, having previously awarded narrative nonfiction. The winner will receive a £7,500 cash prize and a further £7,500 advance as part of a publication deal with Footnote Press, an imprint of Bonnier Books UK.
The judging panel includes Dina Nayeri, author of The Ungrateful Refugee, Waterstones head of books Bea Carvalho, Footnote Press commissioning editor Serena Arthur, and Counterpoints Arts director Almir Koldzic. Koldzic said: 'In a time marked by deepening divisions and intolerance, the prize feels especially necessary and urgent.'
Submissions are open until 13 February and must include an 8,000–10,000-word sample and a synopsis of at least 1,500 words. A shortlist will be announced in May, with the winner revealed during Refugee Week in June. The Southbank Centre will host a public event for shortlisted writers in May.
Serena Arthur noted: 'The prize is still centred around themes core to both Footnote’s ethos and list, but I’m especially excited to be turning to fiction this time around.' The previous nonfiction prize was won by Sabrin Hasbun for Crossing: A Love Story Between Italy and Palestine, published in May 2024.
