Three years after the last literature prize was awarded in Flanders, Minister of Culture Jan Jambon (N-VA) is creating one again.
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At the ‘alternative book fair’ in Antwerp Expo, Jambon just announced that he is entrusting the organization of the prize to the Literature Flanders book fund. The prize must be able to withstand the ambition level of the major Dutch literature awards. To give you an idea: both the Libris Literature Prize and the Boekenbon Literature Prize have been donated with 50,000 euros.
Jambon immediately puts forward two prizes. The first is intended for adults and includes both fiction and non-fiction. The second prize is awarded to the best children’s or youth book. Jambon situates the initiative in the context of the recovery plan for the cultural sector.
The new prize, which has not yet been named, will be awarded for the first time in 2022. It will be awarded in February, in the run-up to the youth book week. No details are yet known about the jury and the grant. Literature Flanders is working together with the Boekenoverleg on the practical implementation.
This gives the literary world a new momentum that adds luster to the writing achievements. Because of their design, the prizes are in keeping with the tradition of the Golden Owl, which between 1995 and 2011 awarded both books for adults and children. From the Golden Book Owl in 2012, the prize for children’s and youth literature dropped. There was still a readers’ jury. In 2016 the prize became the Fintro Literature Prize, but it only had two editions. Jeroen Olyslaegers and Wil were the last writer to win the prize in 2017. He then received both the jury and the reader’s prize.
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