OVERVIEW

The FT/OppenheimerFunds Emerging Voices Awards aims to recognise extraordinary artistic talent in three categories – fiction literature, film-making and art across more than 100 emerging market nations.

There is a remarkable structural shift in the world, propelled by economic progress in the developing markets and the advanced reach of the internet. More connectivity and greater variety of voices in the business, science and arts communities are leading to a new renaissance. The Financial Times and OppenheimerFunds are delighted to provide a platform to recognise the people contributing to these markets.

The Emerging Voices Awards will be open to passport holders of emerging nations in three categories:
1. Africa and the Middle East: including, but not limited to, paintings, drawings, sculptures, installations, photographs, prints and mixed media.
2. Asia-Pacific: Works of fiction published in English.
3. Latin America and the Caribbean: Films in any language with English subtitles.

The judges aim to reward those in each of the eligible art forms whose work shows outstanding talent and in some way furthers understanding of their region.

The longlist for each category will be announced on 6 June 2016. This will be followed by the announcement of three finalists on 5 August 2016 who will be invited to attend an awards ceremony in New York on 26 September 2016 where category winners will be announced.

The winner in each category will receive a prize award of $40,000 and will also be featured in a post event magazine and videos profiled on ft.com. Shortlisted runners up will receive $5,000.

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EMERGING VOICES 2016 LONGLIST

Art

Noor Abuarafeh, Jordan

Victor Ehikhamenor, Nigeria

Aicha Filali, Tunisia

Naomi Wanjiku Gakunga, Kenya

Ilan Godfrey, South Africa

Eddy Kamuanga Ilunga, Congo Dem. Rep.

Syowia Kyambi, Kenya

Emo de Medeiros, Benin

Gareth Nyandoro, Zimbabwe

Abel Tilahun, Ethiopia

Fiction

The Bones of Grace by Tahmima Anam, Canongate Books, Bangladesh / UK

Home by Leila S. Chudori, Deep Vellum Publishing, Indonesia

The Seventh Day by Yu Hua, Pantheon Books, China

The Tusk That Did the Damage by Tania James, Harvill Secker. India / USA

Man Tiger by Eka Kurniawan, Verso Books, Indonesia

The Four Books by Yan Lianke, Chatto & Windus, China

The Association of Small Bombs by Karan Mahajan, Chatto & Windus, India / USA

Sleeping on Jupiter by Anuradha Roy, MacLehose Press, India

Reckless by Hasan Ali Toptaş, Bloomsbury Publishing, Turkey

Crystal Wedding by Xu Xiaobin, Balestier Press, China

Film

Wifi by Douglas Alonzo, Honduras

Solon by Clarissa Campolina, Brazil

Olia by Tania Cattebeke, Paraguay

History of Abraim by Otavio Cury, Brazil

When the Sun Rises by Santiago Eguia, Paraguay

3:14 by Patricio Marin, Mexico

The Tailor by Diego Pino, Bolivia

Impressions of War by Camilo Restrepo, Colombia

Dionisio by Isabel Vaca, Mexico

Zerch by J. Xavier Velasco, Mexico

CATEGORY OVERVIEW

The Awards, which will be decided by a panel of international judges, will reward the most compelling works of fiction, film and art from emerging market countries and will recognise:

  • the most distinguished artists in a variety of media in Africa and the Middle East
  • the best creators of published fiction in English or English translation in Asia-Pacific
  • the top film-makers in Latin America or the Caribbean

Further information regarding each award can be found below and via the rest of the website. Should you have any questions relating to the Awards please contact us on:emerging.voices@ft.com

THE ART AWARD:
The Award will reward an artist who is a national or passport holder of one of the eligible Africa and the Middle East countries. The artist may submit up to twelve works, created at any time since 1 September 2011. The works can be, but not limited to, paintings, drawings, photographs, sculptures, installations or mixed media. Submissions should be made in the form of high-quality digital photographs or videos (‘Work’). Video format is only accepted for artworks, where video is a chosen medium or video serves as a recording of installations or performances. Please note the length of the video cannot exceed 20 mins including the opening and closing credits, if applicable. Submissions from galleries and nominators on an artist’s behalf are welcome.

View the full Awards criteria. >>

THE FICTION AWARD:
The Award will be presented to the author of a published work of fiction in English or published in English translation who is a national or passport holder of one of the eligible Asia-Pacific countries. The book must be a minimum of 20,000 words long and be written by a national or passport holder of one of the eligible countries of Asia-Pacific. Submissions are invited from all publishers worldwide.The book must be a novel. Poems are not eligible. Self-published works will not be accepted for entry. The works must be published for the first time in the English language, or English translation between 1 January, 2015 and 31 August 2016. Books may be in print or digital form, or both. We ask that each publisher submits no more than three works.

View the full Awards criteria. >>

THE FILM AWARD:
The Award for the best short film will be presented to the director of a film completed or released in one of the eligible countries in Latin America or the Caribbean region. The film must be directed by a national or passport holder of one of the eligible countries and must have been completed or made available for distribution for the first time between 1 January, 2015 and 31 March, 2016. The film can be in any language, but if it is not in English, it must have English subtitles. The film can be up to 40 minutes long, including opening and closing credits. Submissions from nominators on an Entrant’s behalf are welcome.

View the full Awards criteria. >>

KEY DATES

1 February: Awards open for submissions

3 May: Closing date for submissions

15 June: Longlist announced

5 August: Finalists announced

26 September: Awards ceremony – Winners announced

27 September: Magazine published in FT and winners announced on FT.com

https://live.ft.com/Events/2016/FT-OppenheimerFunds-Emerging-Voices-Awards