The Guardian view on arts prizes: a 20th-century phenomenon? | Editorial

This year’s Booker and Turner prizes tell us artists and even judges are repudiating the winner-takes-all award. It may be time to find new ways to celebrate the artsThe past year has been a curious one for cultural prizes. The Booker, when the judges failed to agree on a single winner, ended up being split between two authors, in a move that broke the rules and has been widely seen as a fudge. The Turner was upended, not by its judges but by its participants. The shortlisted artists asked to be considered as a collective; the result was that this year there were effectively four winners. Other prizes have seen winners splitting their winnings – author Olivia Laing, for example, voiced a similar sentiment to that put forward by the Turner artists, when she won the James Tait Black memorial prize for fiction this summer. Her novel, Crudo, she said, was written “against an era of walls and borders, winners and losers. Art doesn’t thrive like that and I don’t think people do either. We thrive on community, solidarity and mutual support.”It is too early to declare the death of arts prizes. But they are certainly showing some cracks. The James Tait Black is the oldest British literary award, dating back to 1919. But the most celebrated awards, the Booker and the Turner, date from the late 20th century – 1969 and 1984 respectively – and were made household names by institutional or industry backing, sponsorship and a presence on TV. The Costa prize, which started as the... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2019-12-15 18:25:01 UTC ]
News tagged with: #guardian view #put forward #dating back

Other Publishing stories related to: 'The Guardian view on arts prizes: a 20th-century phenomenon? | Editorial'

White Horse wins Vintage indie prize

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Fri, 23/09/2011 - 08:40 The White Horse Bookshop in Marlborough, Wiltshire, has been named Vintage Independent Bookshop of the Year, with two London shops finishing in second and third place. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-09-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |

Signore new Transworld editorial director

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Tue, 20/09/2011 - 08:35 Transworld has appointed Michelle Signore, currently editor-in-chief at John Blake, to the role of editorial director. Signore will join Transworld on 17th October, and will report to publishing director Doug Young.... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-09-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #john blake #17th october

Waterstone's adds new categories to kid's book prize

Written By: Caroline Horn Publication Date: Wed, 14/09/2011 - 09:28 Waterstone’s has extended its children’s book prize to include teen fiction and picture books, in addition to books for five to 12 year olds. Waterstone’s spokesman Jon Howells said: “The children’s award had done very well... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-09-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #picture books #book prize #childrens award #childrens publishing

Waterstone's add new categories to children's book prize

Written By: Caroline Horn Publication Date: Wed, 14/09/2011 - 09:28 Waterstone’s has extended its children’s book prize to include teen fiction and picture books, in addition to books for five to 12 year olds. Waterstone’s spokesman Jon Howells said: “The children’s award had done very well... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-09-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #picture books #book prize #childrens award #childrens publishing

Orwell prize to blog "hop-picking" stories

Written By: Katie Allen Publication Date: Thu, 25/08/2011 - 07:00 The Orwell Prize is to blog George Orwell’s “hop-picking” diary entries, which went on to form part of his novel A Clergyman’s Daughter. Starting today, the political writing award will post a daily blog 80 years to the day that... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #orwell prize #form part #starting today #diary entries

Soli and Spurling win James Tait Black Prizes

Publication Date: Fri, 19/08/2011 - 20:23 Debut novelist Tatjani Soli and theatre critic Hilary Spurling have been awarded the James Tait Black Prizes, Britain’s oldest literary awards. Soli’s The Lotus Eaters (HarperPress) was awarded the £10,000 fiction prize at the Edinburgh International... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |

British Library launches 19th Century iPad app

Written By: Graeme Neill Publication Date: Wed, 03/08/2011 - 14:05 The British Library has launched an iPad app allowing subscribers to browse 45,000 books from its 19th century historical collection. Subscription costs £1.99 per month and users can explore books from the likes of classic... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #british library #classic novels #travel writing #scottish borders

Trollope new chair of Orange Prize

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Mon, 01/08/2011 - 08:45 The Orange Prize for Fiction has appointed author Joanna Trollope as its chair of judges for 2012, only the second time a novelist has chaired the prize. Kate Mosse, author and co-founder and honorary director of the... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #orange prize #full panel #kate mosse #inaugural year #female writer

Arts Council withholds Poetry Society grant

Written By: Benedicte Page Publication Date: Tue, 26/07/2011 - 11:52 Arts Council England (ACE) has confirmed it is withholding the Poetry Society's quarterly grant payment of almost £78,500, in the wake of the major internal row and resignations. The payment was due to the Poetry Society at... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-07-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #poetry society

Main to join Picador as editorial director

Written By: Graeme Neill Publication Date: Tue, 19/07/2011 - 10:17 Simon & Schuster senior commissioning editor Francesca Main is leaving the publisher to become editorial director at Picador. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-07-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |

Oxford poetry professor up for Forward prize

Written By: Lisa Campbell Publication Date: Thu, 14/07/2011 - 09:00 Oxford Professor of Poetry Geoffrey Hill will compete against former winners David Harsent and Sean O’Brien to win The Forward poetry prize for Best Collection on its 20th anniversary. Hill took the coveted Oxford poetry role... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-07-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #forward prize #20th anniversary #ruth padel

Arts Council to 'speak up for libraries'

Written By: Benedicte Page Publication Date: Thu, 14/07/2011 - 10:05 The Arts Council has given the first indication of how it intends to approach its forthcoming responsibility for libraries by publishing a review of its strategic goals. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-07-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #arts council #strategic goals

Automating the Editorial Workflow

Many publishers are moving to leaner editorial staffs while relying on more contributors (some paid, many not) to generate digital content. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2011-07-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |

Dikötter scoops Samuel Johnson Prize

Publication Date: Wed, 06/07/2011 - 20:00 Academic Frank Dikötter has won the BBC Samuel Johnson Prize for Non-Fiction 2011 for his “meticulous account of a brutal manmade calamity”, Mao’s Great Famine (Bloomsbury). The announcement was made by chair of the judges, Ben Macintyre, at an awards... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-07-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #ben macintyre #awards ceremony

Morgan to be Arts Council libraries director

Written By: Benedicte Page Publication Date: Tue, 05/07/2011 - 09:59 Nicola Morgan is to be the libraries director at the Arts Council. Morgan is currently programme manager, sector improvement at the Museums, Libraries and Archives council, which winds up this autumn. She will take up her new... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-07-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #arts council #programme manager #archives council #1st october

Walker Books launches prize in tribute to late founder

Written By: Caroline Horn Publication Date: Fri, 01/07/2011 - 09:00 Walker Books has launched an award for new illustration to help mark the 20th anniversary of the death of the company's founder, Sebastian Walker. The Sebastian Walker Award will be run in collaboration with the MA course in... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-07-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book illustration #20th anniversary #cambridge school #presented annually #walker books

Sound + Vision Uses Digital Edition to Expand Editorial

Though many magazines are now in the tablet game, Bonnier’s Sound + Vision is using this opportunity to strengthen content in a way not possible on the printed page. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2011-06-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #digital edition #tablet game #printed page

Booktrust puts three prizes on hold due to funding cuts

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Tue, 28/06/2011 - 11:18 Booktrust has suspended the John Llewellyn Rhys Prize, Booktrust Early Years Award and Booktrust Teenage Prize for 2011, blaming funding cuts. The book charity said it hopes to bring them "back with a bang next year", so... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-06-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #funding cuts #hold due #book charity

Shortlist revealed for Royal Society Winton Prize

Written By: Katie Allen Publication Date: Mon, 27/06/2011 - 10:01 Titles on waves, malaria and spiders’ webs have been longlisted for the Royal Society Winton Prize for Science Books. The 13 titles also include titles by Matt Ridley, Tim Flanney and Alex Bellos. Chair of judges, author Monica... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-06-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #science books #growing importance #shortlist revealed #spiders webs #matt ridley #tim flanney #alex bellos #vast range #sheer number #wider recognition

Longlist revealed for Royal Society Winton Prize

Written By: Katie Allen Publication Date: Mon, 27/06/2011 - 10:01 Titles on waves, malaria and spiders’ webs have been longlisted for the Royal Society Winton Prize for Science Books. The 13 titles also include titles by Matt Ridley, Tim Flanney and Alex Bellos. Chair of judges, author Monica... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-06-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #science books #growing importance #spiders webs #matt ridley #tim flanney #alex bellos #vast range #sheer number #wider recognition