{"id":25379,"date":"2026-06-23T14:50:31","date_gmt":"2026-06-23T12:50:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jgf.org.za\/?post_type=tribe_events&p=25379"},"modified":"2026-10-01T10:37:18","modified_gmt":"2026-10-01T08:37:18","slug":"sillerman-first-book-prize-for-african-poetry","status":"publish","type":"tribe_events","link":"https:\/\/jgf.org.za\/af\/event\/sillerman-first-book-prize-for-african-poetry\/","title":{"rendered":"Sillerman First Book Prize for African Poetry"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Sillerman Prize<\/strong> is awarded annually, with submissions open between 15 September to 1 December<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The Prize:<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Sillerman First Book Prize for African Poetry is awarded annually to an African poet who has not yet published a collection of poetry<\/strong>. The winner receives USD $1000<\/strong> and book publication<\/strong> through the University of Nebraska Press.<\/p>\n

The Sillerman Editorial Team, including Kwame Dawes, Chris Abani, Matthew Shenoda, John Keene, Gabeba Baderoon, Phillippa Yaa de Villiers, Aracelis Girmay, and Mahtem Shiferraw will judge.<\/p>\n

Eligibility<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Sillerman First Book Prize for African Poets will only accept \u201cfirst book\u201d<\/strong> submissions from African writers who have not published a book-length poetry collection. This includes self-published books<\/strong> if they were sold online, in stores, or at readings. Writers who have edited and published an anthology or a similar collection of other writers\u2019 work remain eligible.<\/p>\n

An \u201cAfrican writer\u201d<\/strong> is taken to mean someone who was born in Africa, who is a national or resident of an African country, or whose parents are African.<\/p>\n

Only poetry submissions in English<\/strong> can be considered. Work translated from another language to English is accepted, but a percentage of the prize will be awarded to the translator.<\/p>\n

No past or present paid employees of the University of Nebraska Press, Akashic Books, or Amalion Press, or current faculty, students, or employees at Brown University, are eligible for the prizes.<\/p>\n

Poetry manuscripts should be at least 50 pages long<\/strong>. The author\u2019s name should not appear on the manuscript. Eligible writers may submit more than one manuscript.<\/p>\n

Entry Fee:<\/strong> No entry fee is required to submit to the contest.<\/p>\n

Please direct questions regarding submissions to apbf@brown.edu<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Click here for more information.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Submission deadline: 1 December 2026<\/h4>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Sillerman First Book Prize for African Poetry is awarded annually to an African poet who has not yet published a collection of poetry. The winner receives USD $1000 and book publication through the University of Nebraska Press. Submissions are open between 15 September to 1 December.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":24827,"template":"","meta":{"_en_post_content":"","_en_post_name":"","_en_post_excerpt":"","_en_post_title":"","_af_post_content":"","_af_post_name":"","_af_post_excerpt":"","_af_post_title":"","edit_language":"","_price":"","_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_header":"","_tribe_default_ticket_provider":"","_tribe_ticket_capacity":"0","_ticket_start_date":"","_ticket_end_date":"","_tribe_ticket_show_description":"","_tribe_ticket_show_not_going":false,"_tribe_ticket_use_global_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_global_stock_level":"","_global_stock_mode":"","_global_stock_cap":"","_tribe_rsvp_for_event":"","_tribe_ticket_going_count":"","_tribe_ticket_not_going_count":"","_tribe_tickets_list":"[]","_tribe_ticket_has_attendee_info_fields":false,"_tribe_events_status":"","_tribe_events_status_reason":"","footnotes":"","_tec_slr_enabled":"","_tec_slr_layout":""},"tags":[],"tribe_events_cat":[53,88],"class_list":{"0":"post-25379","1":"tribe_events","2":"type-tribe_events","3":"status-publish","4":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"tribe_events_cat-competitions","7":"tribe_events_cat-publications","8":"cat_competitions","9":"cat_publications","10":"czr-hentry"},"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t