The Booker Prize Foundation has announced the judging panel for the newly renamed 2027 Bukhman International Booker Prize, which will be chaired by critically acclaimed author Katie Kitamura.
The announcement follows a 10-year funding commitment from grant-giving organisation Bukhman Philanthropies, a partnership that will see the prize money for the winning literary work double from £50,000 to £100,000, split equally between the author and translator.
Joining Kitamura on the five-member judging panel are writer and translator Patrick McGuinness, filmmaker and novelist Caleb Azumah Nelson, International Booker-shortlisted writer Olga Ravn, and award-winning actor and producer Tessa Thompson. The panel will evaluate long-form fiction or short story collections translated into English and published in the UK or Ireland between May 1, 2026, and April 30, 2027.
The literary prize has been renamed to reflect the decade-long partnership with Bukhman Philanthropies. Under the new funding structure, shortlisted titles will continue to receive £5,000, divided equally at £2,500 each for the author and the translator.
Kitamura noted that translation represents a vital dialogue between two minds and expressed gratitude for the opportunity to recognize this human collaboration. Booker Prize Foundation Chief Executive Gaby Wood stated that the funding commitment has the power to reshape the landscape of translated literature, noting that UK sales of translated fiction grew by 31% over the past decade, driven largely by readers under 35.
The key dates for the 2027 award cycle have also been finalized. The judges will announce a longlist of 12 or 13 books on Tuesday, March 16, 2027, followed by a six-book shortlist on Thursday, April 15, 2027. The final winning book will be revealed at an official award ceremony in May 2027.
The International Booker Prize has grown into a major driver for the global publishing ecosystem since its restructuring a decade ago. According to foundation data, nomination regularly sparks rights sales across multiple territories, with five previous winners or nominees going on to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature.
•Featured image: The Bukhman International Booker Prize 2027 judges: Caleb Azumah Nelson, Olga Ravn, Katie Kitamura, Patrick McGuinness, Tessa Thompson.