The Literature Prize Foundation

From the beginning, the Founders of the Prize had a vision of being ‘more than just a prize.’

Folio Academy Mentorships

We believe mentoring can be incredibly valuable for both parties. Our partnership with creative writing charity First Story began in 2017, when we set up our unique mentorships programme.

Run in association with First Story, the Rathbones Folio Mentorships find and nurture new voices by pairing members of the Folio Academy with First Story students – young emerging writers of tomorrow from disadvantaged backgrounds. The Folio Mentorships are supported by the Amazon Literary Partnership.

Learn more about the mentorships here.

Creative Writing Fellowship at UEA

In place since 2020 we have partnered with UEA on a fixed-term position at the internationally renowned School of Literature, Drama & Creative Writing.

The Fellowship is offered each year to a shortlisted or winning author of the The Writers’ Prize. The Fellow takes part in masterclasses, events and tutorials with students enrolled on the Creative Writing programme at UEA. Fellowship alumni include Raymond Antrobus, Elaine Feeney and Sunjeev Sahota.

Horatio’s Garden

Horatio’s Garden creates and nurtures beautiful gardens in NHS spinal injury centres to support patients with spinal injuries. We partner with the charity by employing members of the Folio Academy, de facto writers of excellence, to deliver creative writing workshops for spinal injury patients. More information here.

2022-23 Ukrainian Writer in Residence (Digital)

Award- winning Ukrainian author Volodymyr Rafeienko

We are partnering with the University of Chichester who have awarded Ukrainian novelist and poet Volodymyr Rafeienko a digital writing residency, organised in partnership with the Stephen Spender Trust. The residency is supported through the UK/Ukraine Season of Culture by the British Council and the Ukrainian Institute. Full information here.

The Rathbones Folio Prize 2022 Presentation Box - created by Book Works

The Literature Prize Foundation was established “to promote the reading and appreciation of literature for the public benefit by selecting and raising the profile of the very best works of literature published each year”.

Furthermore, it aims to “seek to engage readers and writers throughout the English-speaking world in cultural debate and in the celebration, sustainment and furtherance of the art of literature, which it believes has the capacity to enrich and change people’s lives.”