Alaska State Council on the Arts: 2018 Alaska Literary Awards

The Alaska Literary Awards recognize and support writers of poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, playwriting, screenwriting, and mixed genres. Established in 2014 by the Alaska Arts and Culture Foundation through a gift from Peggy Shumaker and Joe Usibelli, a select number of $5,000 awards are awarded annually. Quality of the work submitted is the primary consideration in determining award recipients. There are no restrictions on the writer's use of the award and no formal report is required.

Eligibility is limited to legal residents of Alaska who are 18 years of age or older, not full-time students, and not enrolled in any art-related degree or certification program. Applicants must apply as individual artists. Work samples should reflect work completed within the last two years and can be published or unpublished. Poets may submit up to 10 poems; prose writers up to 15 pages of fiction or creative nonfiction; playwrights/screenwriters up to 15 pages of one script or multiple brief scripts; and mixed genre writers up to 15 pages of literary writing. All work samples must be combined into one Word document or PDF file with the applicant's name on the first page.

Applications are reviewed by a panel comprised of writers in the disciplines being awarded. Award recipients will be notified by October 31, 2018. Recipients must expend fellowship funds by June 30, 2019, maintain Alaska residency throughout the fellowship year, and provide a letter to the Alaska Arts and Culture Foundation describing how the award supported their work. For questions regarding eligibility or application preparation, contact the Alaska State Council on the Arts at (907) 269-6610, toll-free in Alaska 1-888-278-7424, or [email protected].