About

First awarded in March 2017, the Jhalak Prize and its sister award Jhalak Children’s YA Prize founded in 2020, seek to celebrate books by writers of colour in the UK and Ireland. Both awards only accept entries published in the UK and Ireland by writers of colour, including but not limited to fiction, non-fiction, short stories, graphic novels, poetry and all other genres. The Jhalak Children’s and YA Prize accepts books for children, teens and young adults including picture books, chapter books, graphic novels, poetry, non-fiction, and all other genres by writers of colour and aimed at young readers. The prizes are also open to self-published writers. The Prize awards £1000 to each winner along with a unique work of art created by artists chosen for the annual Jhalak Art Residency.

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Due to pandemic restrictions, the British Library internationally live-streamed our 2021 awards and continues to host our awards at an in-person event and livestreamed annual event. Furthermore, all shortlisted authors receive one-year complimentary membership of The London Library, the UK's largest independent library. Each winner receives a two-year complimentary membership.

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Since 2021, the Prize has partnered with National Book Tokens to help increase awareness. Support amongst bookshops for Jhalak titles. 2023, saw over 150 bookshops across the country from independents and Bookshop.org to Waterstones, Foyles and Blackwell’s supporting our 2023 awards instore and online. During the pandemic, the partnership also ran the Bookshop Champions programme to showcase and support independent bookshops in diverse reading communities.

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Plans for adding two new awards, to be announced in 2024 and 2025, are also in the
pipeline.