Burt Award for First Nations, Inuit and Métis Literature
ばーとしょう
Annual literary award targeting young adult (YA) literature by Canadian Indigenous writers.
- Established
- 2012
- Organizer
- Canadian Organization for Development through Education (CODE), operated by: Canada Council for the Arts (also involving Assembly of First Nations, Métis National Council, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, National Association of Friendship Centres, Association of Canadian Publishers, etc.)
- Category
- Children's Literature, Fairy Tales, and Picture Books
- Selection Method
- Selection
- Target
- Professional
- Frequency
- 1 per year
- Announcement Period
- around October–November
- Status
- Active
Description
The Burt Award for First Nations, Inuit and Métis Literature is an annual award given to outstanding young adult literature works by Canadian Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit, Métis) writers. Sponsors are Canadian Organization for Development through Education (CODE) and philanthropist William Burt, operated by Canada Council, with involvement from multiple Indigenous organizations and publishers' associations. Announced in 2012, first awarded in 2013. 1st place: $12,000, 2nd place: $8,000, 3rd place: $5,000, plus CODE purchases 2,500 copies of each winning work for distribution to Indigenous community libraries, schools, and centers. Since 2019, expansions such as the introduction of an Indigenous language category have been implemented.
Prize
- Main Prize
- 1st place $12,000 (2nd place $8,000, 3rd place $5,000). Winning works are purchased 2,500 copies each by CODE and distributed to Indigenous communities.
- Cash Prize
- 12,000 CAD
- 2nd place: $8,000
- 3rd place: $5,000
- CODE purchases 2,500 copies of each winning title and distributes to Indigenous community libraries, schools, and centers
- Since 2019, category expansions such as the addition of an Indigenous language category (e.g., reports of $6,000 setting for the Indigenous language category)
Selection
Selection Process
| Stage | Judges | Pass Rate | Announcement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Application/Nomination | — | Application or nomination acceptance is announced annually. Refer to official announcements for details. | |
| Review (Selection by judging panel) | Judging panel selected annually (details in official announcements) | — | — |
| Winner determination and announcement | — | Announced on official website, press releases, and media. |
Criteria
- Literary excellence for young adult readers
- Works by writers of Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit, Métis) origin
- Published and distributed in Canada
- Cultural significance and impact on readers
Related Awards
- First Nations literary awards (various Indigenous literary awards)
- Young adult literature awards (young adult literature awards)
- Indigenous Voices Awards (Indigenous Voices Award)