Londoner’s Diary: Publishing fears for literary prizes as several axed

Today’s Diary: Literary Prizes at risk of becoming a rare breed / Gove takes the blame / Jean Paul Gaultier says there are no fashion mistakes / British Museum feels the heat
Maddie Mortimer via Twitter. Kristine Bowen.
Robbie Griffiths20 July 2022

LITERARY prizes appear to be at risk, with a spate cancelled in the past few weeks over funding. The Desmond Elliott Prize this week said it will go on hiatus next year, while the Sunday Times Short Story Award is also likely to stop. The Costa Prize and Blue Peter Award both announced their permanent termination last month. Maddie Mortimer, above, won the 2022 Desmond Elliott award.

Chris Gribble of the National Centre for Writing told The Bookseller that there are “fewer opportunities than ever for the work of early career writers to be recognised”. Sana Goyal, who has a PhD in literary prizes, told us the cancellations are a “huge loss” for arts in the UK. “While prizes have a lot of work to do — in terms of inclusivity and diversity,” Goyal said, “they can be really beneficial for writers, affording visibility and financial stability.”

Some are hoping to create new awards, such as former Blue Peter prize winner Elle McNicoll, who has set up a the Adrien prize for children’s fiction that explores disability. McNicoll told us that she hoped the prize would encourage children “often left behind”.

Who will Gove back next?

Michael Gove
PA Wire

AFTER Michael Gove’s first choice for Tory leader, Kemi Badenoch, dropped out yesterday, who will he back now? Of the final three, Gove is thought to favour Rishi Sunak, and told a Policy Exchange event yesterday the next PM should have “courage, conviction and clarity”. He also helped Labour by admitting the UK state is “not functioning”. Given that we’ve had 12 years of Tory rule, who should we blame, a fellow panelist wondered. “It’s my fault,” Gove joked. Good of him to let us know.

Don’t fear fashion mistakes, says Gaultier

"Jean Paul Gaultier's Fashion Freak Show" - Press Night - Curtain Call & After Party
Dave Benett

Jean Paul Gaultier was glad to be in London for his Fashion Freak Show in Camden last night, telling us his native Paris is “more snobbish”. The designer, pictured with colleague Marion Motin, reassured us on style choices, saying: “I don’t hate anything in fashion, anything is possible”. Also there were Dua Lipa and Grace Jones, who snuck off early.

British Museum feels the heat

General view of the interior of the British Museum (Tim Ireland/PA)
PA Archive

The British Museum closed early yesterday due to the heat. Activists flagged the museum’s sponsorship deals with BP, with fossil fuels a contributor to climate change. The National Portrait Gallery cancelled their ties with BP in February. Will the BM follow?

20th Diary

"The Gray Man" - Special Screening - VIP Arrivals
1/7

ACTRESS Ana de Armas shone in silver on the Southbank at last night’s premiere for new Netflix film The Gray Man. The Bond girl was joined on the red carpet by her co-stars Ryan Gosling and Chris Evans, as well as Bridgerton’s Regé-Jean Page. Gosling appears to be growing out his platinum blonde hair dyed for playing Ken in the new Barbie film but was still sporting pink in pastel Gucci trousers.

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