The Jhalak Prize 2024
The Jhalak Prize awards two annual prizes to books by writers of colour in UK. We caught up with the organiser Sunny Singh and 4 of the shortlisted authors. Winners announced 30th May. Good luck to all! Visit: https://www.jhalakprize.com/
The Jhalak Prize debuted in March 2017. Its companion award, the Jhalak Children’s & YA Prize, followed in 2020. These awards honor books by writers of color in the UK and Ireland. They accept various genres, including fiction, non-fiction, short stories, graphic novels, and poetry, as long as the books are published in the UK. The Jhalak Children’s & YA Prize covers picture books, chapter books, graphic novels, poetry, and non-fiction aimed at young readers. Self-published authors can also enter. Winners receive £1000 and a unique piece of art from the Jhalak Art Residency.
In 2021, due to the pandemic, the British Library live-streamed the awards. This practice continues alongside in-person events. Shortlisted authors receive a one-year membership to The London Library. Winners get a two-year membership.
Since 2021, the Prize has collaborated with National Book Tokens to increase visibility. In 2023, over 150 bookshops, from independents to major retailers like Waterstones, Foyles, and Blackwell’s, supported the awards in-store and online. The partnership also introduced the Bookshop Champions program to highlight and support diverse independent bookshops.
Additionally, plans are underway to introduce two new awards in 2024 and 2025.
