Bernardine Evaristo has been awarded the prestigious Women’s Prize for Fiction’s Outstanding Contribution Award, per lithub.com. Announced June 3 by the Women’s Prize Trust, the significant honour celebrates the 30th anniversary of the Women’s Prize for Fiction and recognises the renowned author’s exceptional impact on the literary world.
The unique award was open to authors previously longlisted, shortlisted, or winners of the Women’s Prize for Fiction, provided they had published at least five books. Kate Mosse, Founder Director of the Women’s Prize, emphasised the challenge of selecting a single honouree from a pool of “many exceptional contemporary writers.”
Ultimately, Evaristo’s “beautiful, ambitious and inventive body of work,” spanning plays, poetry, essays, and fiction, alongside her “dazzling skill and imagination,” made her the unanimous choice. Judges lauded her 40-year career for its courage in exploring diverse worlds and her consistent efforts to champion unheard women’s voices. Evaristo has notably used her own achievements to create opportunities for others, ensuring female writers find a platform for their talent.
Evaristo will receive £100,000 and a special sculpture by Caroline Russell. The awards will be presented on June 12th at the Women’s Prize Trust’s summer party in London.
