1.1 About the award
The Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award is an international award for literature for children and young people. The award was established by the Swedish government in 2002 to commemorate Astrid Lindgren, one of Sweden’s, and the world’s, most widely-read and popular authors.
Presented annually to one or more recipients irrespective of language or nationality, the award goes to living writers, illustrators, storytellers, and/or to people, projects or organisations deemed to have made a valuable contribution to the promotion of reading.
The aim of the award is to strengthen and increase interest in literature for children and young people around the world, and also to promote children’s rights. The award is in the amount of five million Swedish kronor (approx 705 000 USD, 525 000 euro), making it the world’s foremost award for children’s and young people’s literature and the second largest literary prize in the world.
Astrid Lindgren was born in 1907, and she died in 2002 at the age of 94. She is Sweden’s most extensively translated author, and her books can be read in more than 90 languages. A lifelong champion of children’s rights, Astrid Lindgren always maintained that she wrote for the child within her. The statutes of the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award stipulate that the award winners’ work must be of the highest artistic quality and should convey the deeply humanistic spirit associated with Astrid Lindgren. The award is for an artist’s entire production rather than individual works.
Award recipients are selected by a jury based on nominations from selected bodies around the world. The jury retains the right to propose its own nominees. Nobody can apply for the award on their own behalf. The Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award is administered by the Swedish Arts Council. Further information can be found at the award website: www.alma.se
1.2 About the nominating bodies
Each year the jury appoints nominating bodies from all over the world to propose candidates for the award. These organisations and institutions are assumed to have the broadest and most profound knowledge about authors, illustrators, storytellers and/or activities to promote reading in their respective countries or regions. The aim is to attain a global overview of literature for children and young people of the highest artistic quality.
The list of nominating bodies is reviewed annually by the jury. A list of the bodies invited to submit nominations for the 2013 award can be viewed at the award website.
1.3 Award winners
The 2013 award recipient will be announced in March 2013. The 2012 winner will be announced in March 20 this year. The list of nominated candidates can be seen at www.alma.se
Previous award winners:
2011 Shaun Tan, Australia
2010 Kitty Crowther, Belgium
2009 The Tamer Institute, Palestinian Territories
2008 Sonya Hartnett, Australia
2007 Banco del Libro, Venezuela
2006 Katherine Paterson, USA
2005 Ryôji Arai, Japan, and Philip Pullman, United Kingdom
2004 Lygia Bojunga, Brazil
2003 Christine Nöstlinger, Austria, and Maurice Sendak, USA
2. NOMINATION REGULATIONS FOR THE ASTRID LINDGREN MEMORIAL AWARD
2.1 Who is entitled to submit nominations?
Only the appointed nominating bodies and the jury are entitled to propose candidates. A nominating body is, however, free to obtain supplementary material from proposed candidates or other bodies. Nominating bodies may neither nominate themselves, their own projects, nor a project where the nominating body is a co-organiser.
2.2 Who is eligible for nominations?
Nominating bodies may propose authors/illustrators/storytellers whose work for children and young people is of the highest artistic quality, imbued with the same profound spirit of humanity that characterised Astrid Lindgren. They may also nominate persons, organisations, institutions or the like that have carried out exceptional work to promote reading on the part of children and young people.
The award is for the entire body of work, not an individual piece. Only living people are eligible for the award.
2.3 How many candidates can be nominated?
Each nominating body is entitled to nominate a maximum of four candidates.
• Two candidates in the category of writing/illustrating/storytelling/promotion of reading from the nominating body’s own country/region.
• Two candidates in the category of writing/illustrating/storytelling/promotion of reading from a different country/region.
2.4 What should a valid nomination comprise?
The nominations form must be completed. The documents to accompany a valid nomination are specified in the nomination form.
2.5 How long is a nomination valid?
A nomination is valid for the year in question. In the case of a re-nomination, it is sufficient to send in the first page of the nomination form with the name of the re-nominated candidate, and only such information that relates to new works or contains any other relevant new information.
2.6 Assessment of candidates
All candidates have an equal chance, irrespective of the organisation or institution that has nominated them. A candidate’s chances are not dependent on the number of nominations received for the candidate in question.4
2.7 Nomination format
Nomination materials may be submitted by letter post, fax or e-mail, or filled in on the award website www.alma.se
2.8 Nomination language
Invitations and nomination regulations are available in seven languages. These are: English, Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish and Swedish. However, the nomination form can only be completed in English.
2.9 Latest date for nominations
Nominations must reach the Swedish Arts Council by May 15, 2012 at the latest. The jury maintains the right to reject any nominations which are sent in late, or which are incomplete or otherwise invalid.
2.10 Address
The nomination letter should be addressed to:
Swedish Arts Council
Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award Office
Att: Nomination
P.O. Box 27215
Borgvägen 1–5
SE-102 53 Stockholm, Sweden
Fax: + 46 (0)8 519 264 99
E-mail: nomination@alma.se
2.11 Public documents
The nominations sent to the Swedish Arts Council are public documents and will be published at www.alma.se/en during autumn 2012.
2.12 Schedule for the nomination process
January: Nomination forms sent out to the nominating bodies
May: The last date for the submission of nominations is May 15
June: Confirmation of nominations received is sent out to the participating nominating bodies
October: Confirmation letters sent out to the nominated candidates and the nominating bodies
December: The jury decides upon new nominating bodies
March: Announcement of the award winner
May: Award ceremony
2.13 Contact for further information
Lisa Lundgren, Coordinator of nominations
Tel: + 46 (0)8 519 264 00/53
E-mail: lisa.lundgren@alma.se