Women's Prize for Fiction Announces New Sponsorship Structure for 2018 and Beyond
The Women’s Prize for Fiction – one of the biggest celebrations of women’s creativity anywhere in the world – will be adopting a new sponsorship model from 2018, it was announced today, Wednesday 31 May.
From next year, the Prize – to revert in title to the ‘Women’s Prize for Fiction’ – will be supported by a family of sponsors, a group of leading brands and businesses from different sectors, rather than by a single title sponsor. The Prize is delighted to confirm that Baileys, which has held the title sponsorship for the past four years, will be part of this family of sponsors. The full line-up will be announced in the autumn as part of the launch of the 2018 Prize.
Kate Mosse, novelist and co-founder of the Prize, said: “We are excited to be announcing the next chapter for the Prize. Our family of sponsors model not only gives us a new sustainable way of working in a changing world - based on one already successfully used in other areas of the arts – but also will enable us to reach an even wider range of readers through the varied and long-term partnerships we are building.
“Thanks to the support of Diageo over the past four years, the Prize has engaged a broader audience than ever before. We are obviously thrilled that Baileys will be part of our future.”
Syl Saller, Chief Marketing Officer at Diageo, said: “Our partnership with the Prize has been mutually rewarding over the last four years. We are thrilled to continue the relationship in this new model of partnership. We look forward to collaborating with the new family of sponsors as we celebrate women’s voices from around the world.”
The 2017 Prize will be awarded at a ceremony at the Royal Festival Hall in London on Wednesday 7 June.
Ahead of the announcement, the Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction will host two special events in London to celebrate the 2017 Shortlist: on Monday 5 June, the annual Shortlist Readings take place at Cadogan Hall, in partnership with Waterstones and on Tuesday 6 June, Foyles Charing Cross Road will hold the BWPFF Book Club, in association with Grazia.
The Women’s Prize for Fiction will also host an event at Latitude Festival 2017 on Sunday 16 July. Panelists include author and former BWPFF judge, Elif Shafak, author, journalist and co-founder of the Women’s Equality Party Catherine Mayer, novelist Naomi Alderman and 2017 BWPFF judge, Sam Baker.
The authors shortlisted for the 2017 Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction are: Ayọ̀ bámi Adébáyọ̀̀ , Naomi Alderman, Linda Grant, C. E. Morgan, Gwendoline Riley and Madeleine Thien.
Previous winners of the Prize include Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Andrea Levy, Lionel Shriver, Zadie Smith and Ali Smith.
The 2017 judges are: Tessa Ross, CEO House Productions (Chair); Sam Baker, journalist, author and co-founder of The Pool; Katie Derham, presenter and broadcaster; Aminatta Forna, award-winning novelist, memoirist and essayist; and Sara Pascoe, comic and author.
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