Judges announced for David Cohen Prize for Literature 2023
We are delighted to announce the judges for the David Cohen Prize for Literature 2023.
The prize was founded in 1993 and for three decades has been one of literature’s most prestigious prizes, recognising the UK and Ireland’s greatest living writers. Uniquely amongst these countries’ prizes, the David Cohen Prize for Literature recognises a lifetime’s achievement and is awarded based on a writer’s whole career.
Previous winners of the David Cohen Prize for Literature include Hilary Mantel, Edna O’Brien and Harold Pinter.
Colm Tóibín won the Prize in 2021 and reflected on the first prize giving – to VS Naipaul – saying, “When I attended the inaugural reception for the David Cohen Prize in London in 1993, I did not imagine for a moment that my own writing would ever be honoured in this way. Those who have won the Prize in the past are artists whose work I revere. I am proud to be among them.”
The 2023 judges are the eminent writers, journalists and critics: Hermione Lee (Chair of the Judges), Aida Edemariam, Helen Mort, Malachy Tallack and Boyd Tonkin. Read more about the judges
The David Cohen Prize for Literature was founded by the prominent arts benefactors, the late Dr David Cohen, chair of the John S Cohen Foundation, and his former wife Veronica Cohen. The John S Cohen Foundation is now chaired by their daughter, Imogen. The £40,000 biennial prize will be awarded in winter 2023 by prize administrators New Writing North.