Uganda Arts News: Caine Prize for African Writing 2011 Winner to be Announced

An announcement will be made at about 6pm, under strict embargo until 00.00. Among this year's contestants is UGPulse's own Beatrice Lamwaka.

The first prize was awarded in 2000, at the Zimbabwe International Book Fair 2000 in Harare, and the 2001 Prize at the Nairobi Book Fair in September 2001 The winner is announced at a dinner in Oxford in July, to which the shortlisted candidates are all invited. This is part of a week of activities for the candidates, including book-readings, book-signings and press opportunities.

The Prize is planning to expand, thanks to generous sponsorship, and has set writers' workshops in South Africa, Kenya and Ghana to date.

In its first year the Prize attracted entries from 20 African countries. The Caine Prize is awarded to a work (a short story) by an African writer published in English, whether in Africa or elsewhere.

The 2011 shortlist comprises:

·         NoViolet Bulawayo (Zimbabwe), ‘Hitting Budapest’from TheBoston Review,  Vol 35, no. 6 - Nov/Dec 2010

·         Beatrice Lamwaka (Uganda), ‘Butterfly dreams’ from Butterfly Dreams and Other New Short Stories from Uganda, published by Critical, Cultural and Communications Press, Nottingham, 2010

·         Tim Keegan (South Africa), ‘What Molly Knew’from Bad Company, published by Pan MacmillanSA, 2008

·         Lauri Kubuitsile (Botswana) ‘In the spirit of McPhineas Lata’ from The Bed Book of Short Stories, published by Modjaji Books, SA, 2010

·         David Medalie (South Africa), ‘The Mistress’s Dog’ from The Mistress’s Dog: Short stories  1996-2010, published by Picador Africa, 2010

For more information on the Caine Prize, see www.caineprize.com