| Sunday Times Short Story Award | |
|---|---|
| Awarded for | Best short story published in the UK |
| Sponsored by | EFG Private Bank Audible |
| Country | England |
| Hosted by | The Sunday Times |
| Reward(s) | £30,000 |
| First awarded | 2010 |
| Last awarded | 2021 |
The Sunday Times Short Story Award, also known as the Sunday Times EFG Short Story Award and later the Sunday Times Audible Short Story Award, was a British literary award for a single short story open to any novelist or short story writer from around the world who was published in the UK or Ireland. The winner received £30,000, and the five shortlisted writers each received £1,000.[1] A longlist of 16 was also announced. The award was established in 2010 by Cathy Galvin of The Sunday Times newspaper and Sir Matthew Evans of EFG Private Bank (and formerly of Faber and Faber).[2][3] In 2019, award sponsorship changed to Audible,[4] which withdrew its sponsorship after the 2021 award.[5] It has been called the richest prize in the world for a single short story.[6]
Another major single-short-story award in the UK is the BBC National Short Story Award, which was called the richest prize in the world for a single short story at £15,000 in 2008;[7] however, as of 2013, The Sunday Times award was twice as large.
The Bookseller reported in July 2022 that the prize was "in danger of being discontinued" as Audible had withdrawn their sponsorship the previous year. At that time Andrew Holgate, literary editor of the Sunday Times, said that the prize had had to be delayed for a year as no replacement sponsor had been found.[5]
- ^ Campbell, Lisa (2 March 2012). "Barry wins Sunday Times Short Story Award". The Bookseller. Archived from the original on 9 May 2012. Retrieved 22 January 2013.
- ^ "Alumni and Supporters: Cathy Galvin". Warwick University. Retrieved 4 December 2024.
- ^ "The Sunday Times Audible Short Story Award Longlist". The Times. Retrieved 4 December 2024.
- ^ Cowdrey, Katherine (16 December 2018). "Audible takes over as sponsor for Sunday Times Short Story Award". The Bookseller. Archived from the original on 4 January 2019. Retrieved 3 January 2019.
- ^ a b "Desmond Elliott Prize on hiatus for 2023 while Sunday Times Short Story Award could be discontinued". The Bookseller. 19 June 2022. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
The Sunday Times Short Story Award is in danger of being discontinued ... if another sponsor cannot be found to succeed Audible, which withdrew a year ago.
- ^ "OMG: Text speak short story in running for £30,000 prize". The Daily Telegraph. 19 February 2012. Archived from the original on 15 April 2012. Retrieved 22 January 2013.
- ^ Lea, Richard (4 July 2008). "Field narrows in race for richest story award". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 13 March 2016. Retrieved 29 September 2012.