OCM Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature
おーしーえむぼかすしょう（かりぶぶんがく）
Annual literary award targeting books by authors of Caribbean origin or Caribbean citizens. Shortlists are selected from poetry, fiction, and non-fiction categories, with prize money awarded to the overall winner.
- Established
- 2011
- Organizer
- NGC Bocas Lit Fest (organizer), Sponsor: One Caribbean Media (OCM)
- Category
- Poetry and Contemporary Poetry
- Selection Method
- Open call
- Target
- Open
- Frequency
- 1 per year
- Announcement Period
- around May
- Status
- Active
Description
The OCM Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature was established in 2011 by the NGC Bocas Lit Fest as an annual literary award targeting books published in the previous year by authors of Caribbean origin or Caribbean citizens. Entries are judged in three categories: poetry, fiction, and literary non-fiction, with the top 3 works in each genre forming the shortlist. The judging committee selects the overall winner from the shortlist, which is typically announced at the NGC Bocas Lit Fest venue in Port of Spain. The sponsor is One Caribbean Media (OCM). The overall winner receives US$10,000, and each shortlisted work receives US$3,000.
Prize
- Main Prize
- Overall winner: US$10,000 (US$3,000 awarded to each shortlisted work)
- Cash Prize
- 10,000 USD
- Shortlist prize: US$3,000 (each)
- Sponsor: One Caribbean Media (OCM)
- Top 3 works in each genre form the shortlist
Selection
Selection Process
| Stage | Judges | Pass Rate | Announcement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Longlist / Preliminary selection (if conducted in the relevant year) | Preliminary judges or internal selection panel (varies by year) | — | Longlist may be announced on the official site or in announcement articles |
| Category selection (poetry, fiction, non-fiction) | Specialized judging panels for each genre (members vary by year) | — | Top works in each genre are selected, forming a shortlist of 3 works |
| Final selection (selecting overall winner from shortlist) | Judging committee selects overall winner from the 3 shortlisted works | — | Announced at NGC Bocas Lit Fest (usually Port of Spain) |
Criteria
- Author is of Caribbean origin or a citizen of a Caribbean country
- Entry is principally a book published in the previous year
- Literary quality (style, structure, originality)
- Genre-specific quality (poetic techniques, narrative, depth of research/analysis for non-fiction, etc.)
- Regional/cultural contribution of the work (significance in the Caribbean context)
Application Tips
Dos
- 応募要項（著者資格・出版年など）を主催者公式ページで確認する
- 作品が該当ジャンル（詩・フィクション・ノンフィクション）に合致していることを明示する
- 出版社情報、ISBN、刊行日など正確な書誌情報を添付する
- 提出形式と締切を守り、提出前に校正と編集を徹底する
- 作品のカリブとの関係性や独自性を応募書類で明確に伝える
Don''ts
- 未完成のドラフトを提出しない
- 応募資格（出版年や著者の出自）を満たさない作品を送らない
- 提出フォーマットや要項を無視した提出を行わない
From Judges
- 言語表現の精度と編集の完成度を重視する
- 地域性（カリブの文脈）と普遍性のバランスが評価される
- ジャンルごとの完成度（詩なら音や行間、ノンフィクションなら調査の深さ）を示すことが重要
- 応募要項に従い、明確で整理された提出資料を用意する
Related Awards
- NGC Bocas Lit Fest (other awards/programs)
- Commonwealth Writers' Prize
- Guyana Prize for Literature
- Regional literary festivals, grants, and publishing programs