City Lit will provide three annual awards worth up to £1000 each to fund study within the City Lit Creative Writing department. The awards seek to support and encourage the creative and professional development of ‘unheard voices’, and can be used to fund courses within the City Lit Creative Writing department. The final award winners will be selected by acclaimed writer, City Lit Fellow and Patron of the School of Humanities & Sciences, Malorie Blackman OBE. Announcing the Unheard Voices Scholarships in its Centenary year, City Lit want to hear from students and in particular from students in underrepresented groups. Described by The Times as ‘a national treasure’, Malorie will decide upon the winners of the scholarships from a shortlist in March 2020.
Malorie has a long connection with City Lit as a former student attending diverse courses since the late 1980s. Having written over fifty books, Malorie is acknowledged, as one of today’s most imaginative and convincing writers for young readers. She has been recognised with numerous honours for her work, including the Red House Children’s Book Award and the Fantastic Fiction Award. In 2005 Malorie was honoured with the Eleanor Farjeon Award in recognition of her contribution to children’s books, and in 2008 she received an OBE for her services to children’s literature. Malorie was the Children’s Laureate between 2013 and 2015. Her autobiography will be published on Stormzy’s Merky Books imprint in 2022.
City Lit CEO and Principal Mark Malcomson CBE said, “We are thrilled to announce the Unheard Voices Scholarships and to have our dear friend, Fellow and Patron, Malorie’s involvement in the project. Malorie’s history with City Lit just goes to show how important in a writer’s career a creative writing course can be. We’re so excited to uncover the next generation of story-tellers, bringing their unique perspectives to the fore.”
Find out more about the Malorie Blackman 'Unheard Voices' Scholarships
Photos taken by Dominic Harris
