The Commonwealth Foundation (CF) is on the lookout for talented short story authors from across the Commonwealth. If you’re a Commonwealth national aged 18 or above, you can submit a short story of 2000–5000 words for a chance to win $5,000.
Five regional winners will be selected from a shortlist of about twenty pieces by an international team of authors and judges.
The overall champion, who wins £5,000, is then chosen from among the regional winners. The victors in each region will get £2,500.
Established in 1966 by the Commonwealth Heads of Government, the Commonwealth Foundation is housed in Marlborough House, a former royal residence in London, graciously provided by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
With support from 49 member nations, the Foundation serves as the Commonwealth Agency for Civil Society.
Contest Overview:
- Open to authors from Commonweath countries
- This context is sponsored by the Commonwealth Foundation (CF)
- Winner will be awarded $5,000
- The deadline for application is November 1, 2024
Benefits of the Commonwealth Short Story Prize:
- The overall champion takes home a cool £5,000. The regional winners split £2,500.
- Granta publishes the winning tales online, and Paper + Ink publishes a special print collection of them.
- The Commonwealth Foundation’s online literary magazine, Adda, publishes the shortlisted stories.
- A £750 bonus will be awarded to the translator of the winning short story if it is translated into English
Qualification Criteria:
You must be a citizen of a Commonwealth nation. In case you are chosen, the Commonwealth Foundation will ask to have you to prove your citizenship status. Citizens of non-Commonwealth nations are not eligible to enter.
Entries will be evaluated according to citizenship country for regional reasons. The entry will be judged in the area where you reside permanently to know if you hold dual citizenship from two Commonwealth nations.
As long as you are a citizen of one of the Commonwealth nations, there is no necessity that you reside there at the moment.
You have to be at least eighteen years old on November 1, 2024.
The Commonwealth Foundation reserves the right to accept or reject any entry in its own discretion.
The prize chair will consult with the Foundation before making any decisions regarding eligibility.
Regarding eligibility matters, the chair’s decision is final, and no more discussions will be held.
Previous Commonwealth short story prize overall winners are not allowed to enter.
Additionally ineligible to submit for the prize are entries that have won the regional prize three times.
Current employees of the Commonwealth Foundation are not allowed to enter.
All entries must be unpublished and stay unpublished until May 1, 2025, regardless of language.
Your entry is still eligible even if it hasn’t been published if it has been shortlisted or awarded a prize in another competition.
How to Apply:
Apply online by visiting the Commonwealth Foundation (CF) website HERE.
Make sure you have read the eligibility and entry guidelines on the previous page’s link before submitting your story.
When your short story has been successfully submitted, you will get a confirmation page with a reference number. Please take note of this.
If you have any questions about the award, send an email to creatives@commonwealthfoundation.com.
Go to the Commonwealth Foundation website for additional information.
