Illustration by Fibben Hald
December – the jury decides who has the right to make nominations
At least six months before the nomination time expires, the jury decides which bodies around the world have the right to nominate candidates for the award. This means that the jury has to review and complement the list of nomination bodies by December at the latest.
January – invitations sent out
The jury sends invitations in January to the nominating bodies around the world to suggest candidates for the following year’s prize. The invitation includes information on how many candidates each body may nominate in how many categories. It also outlines what complementary material should be included so the nominations can be approved by the jury. Nominating bodies then work on gathering and selecting material on their candidates.
May – deadline for nominations
Nominations must be received by the award office by May 15 at the latest. The jury may decide not to accept nominations that arrive late or are incomplete. All incoming nominations are recorded in the Swedish National Council for Cultural Affairs’ register and become public information.
May to August – checking and complementing nominations
When the suggestions come in from nominating groups, the award office gathers and collates the nomination material. The jury then begins to read, check and request additional information on the nominations.
September – the list of nominations for the following year’s award is published
By September the contributed nominations have been checked and approved, and the jury has added its own. The complete list of nominees for the following year’s award is published on this web site.
October to February – reading, in-depth examination, evaluation
From October to February, the jury members spend their time reading intensively and discussing the nominations. They meet regularly and are in constant contact with each other and the office. They also order translation drafts, analyses and copies of the books.
March – prize winner announced in Vimmerby
The final jury meeting of the season is held in Vimmerby, Sweden, in the middle of March. Following the long selection process, the jury can finally decide who will receive the year’s Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award. The jury publicly announces the decision at a press conference directly after the jury meeting.
May – award ceremony
The award ceremony is held in Stockholm in May and is open to the public. Other activities, such as seminars and children’s events, are held in connection with the ceremony.
Schedule overview
December - The jury decides which bodies have the right to nominate in the next round of nominations
January - Nominating bodies are invited to suggest candidates for the following year’s prize.
March - The jury decides on and publicly announces the current year’s award winner in Vimmerby.
May - The award ceremony is open to the public and held in Stockholm.
May - Nominating groups make their suggestions to the award office for the following year’s prize.
May to August - The jury gathers, checks and complements the nomination material.
September - Nominations for the following year’s award are made public.
October to March - The jury’s selection work.
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