This is the seventh year of the International Dylan Thomas Prize, which is the largest literary prize in the world for young writers, aimed at encouraging creative talent worldwide. It celebrates and nurtures international literary excellence across all genres.

‌Dylan Thomas was ideally suited to serve as an inspiration to young writers everywhere, as the freshness and immediacy of his writing were qualities that he never lost. The Prize seeks to ensure that readers today will have the chance to savour the vitality and sparkle of a new generation of young writers. Previous winners have hailed from the US, Australia, Vietnam and the UK.

Picture:  Cerys Matthews (r) and Prof Kurt Heinzelman (l) launch the Prize on stage in New York.

‌This year’s Prize was launched at the event in the Nuyorican Poets Café, New York, by two of the judging panel, author, singer and BBC 6 music presenter, Cerys Matthews, and Kurt Heinzelman, Professor of English at the University of Texas in Austin and Honorary Professor of English and Creative Writing at Swansea University

The Chair of the 2014 judging panel is Peter Florence, founder of the Hay Festival, and the other members include India-based poet, journalist and dancer, Tishani Doshi.

‌The Prize will open for entries on St David’s Day, 1st March 2014.  In recognition of Dylan Thomas’s 39 years of literary productivity and creativity, the Prize is open to young writers of 39 and under.‌

Pictured below: Claire Vaye Watkins, who won the 2013 Prize for her novel "Battleborn".

Cerys Matthews said:

“It felt great to launch the International Dylan Thomas Prize 2014 in New York, in The Nuyorican Cafe, a hot bed of young slam poets and writers."

"DJ Reborn welcomed us with a fine mix of beats laid under Dylan Thomas recordings, Kevin Powell, actor and activist, read Poem in October , I read excerpts from Under Milk Wood with Gwenan Gibbard and Patrick Rimes and introduced Alphabet City locals to the Laws of Hywel Dda, Gerald of Wales, strict meter poetry, the Welsh/American hymn- Gwahoddiad and I ended my performance with a reworking of Laugharne, New York style.”

“The evening was a fine musical and poetic offering to one of the most influential writers of the last century and I look forward to continuing to enjoy his legacy in my role as judge in this year’s International Dylan Thomas Prize 2014 which opens for entries on our patron saint’s day - 1st  March”.

Peter Stead, founder and President of the International Dylan Thomas Prize, said:

“Dylan Thomas was the Swansea–born poet whose spell-binding words and performances conquered London and North America and identified him as one of the most influential writers of the mid twentieth century. 

The Prize established in his name has captured the imagination of writers internationally and in recent years thirty short-listed writers from all continents have come to Wales to speak to students and writing classes.

The Prize has been won by writers from Wales and Northern Ireland, a Vietnamese Australian and three Americans.”
Professor Richard B. Davies, Vice-Chancellor of Swansea University, said:

“I am delighted that Swansea University is sponsoring the International Dylan Thomas Prize. It is one of the most prestigious awards for young writers in the world; international literary award aimed at encouraging creative talent worldwide.

The Prize also carries out extensive work with educational institutions, and we are proud to be associated with a project which helps promote creative writing to children and young people.

“In the centenary year of Dylan Thomas’s birth, it is very fitting that the University in his home town should be supporting a Prize in his name.”

Picture:  cover of a new study on Dylan Thomas, by Prof John Goodby of the College of Arts and Humanities at Swansea University

More information on the Dylan Thomas Prize

In addition to sponsoring the International Dylan Thomas Prize, other highlights of Swansea University’s activity to mark the centenary include:

•    Dylan Unchained – an international academic conference on Dylan Thomas at Swansea University in September 2014
•    New Study of Thomas’s work – Professor John Goodby has just launched a major study of Dylan Thomas, re-evaluating his work for the 21st century
•    New edition of Dylan Thomas’s poetry - publication of a new and authorised complete edition, edited by Professor John Goodby, an international authority on the poet
•    Taking literature to the wider world - our poets, novelists, dramatists and critics will take their work to the wider world through literary festivals, including Hay, during 2014.