(INDIANAPOLIS) – Nominations are now open for the 2020 Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana Authors Awards. The awards will recognize the best books published by Hoosiers in 2018 and 2019. Nominations are due Jan. 6, 2020.
The awards, newly powered by Indiana Humanities, have been given annually since 2009. Going forward, awards will be given every other year in 10 categories, including fiction, nonfiction, genre, children’s, young adult, poetry, drama and emerging. Awards also will be given in the categories of “Literary Champion” and “Lifetime Achievement.”
Full nomination guidelines and eligibility criteria can be found on the new website for the Indiana Authors Award, www.IndianaAuthorsAwards.org.
The website, along with information about a new speakers program, writing workshops and a book review column, were announced today at the Indianapolis Artsgarden. Applications to host a speaker or a writing workshop are open through Nov. 1. The first book review of Bloomington poet Ross Gay’s “The Book of Delights” was written by Franklin College poet Callista Buchen, and will begin appearing in Indiana newspapers and online this week.
“We’re here to recognize, celebrate and connect what’s happening in the literary arts in the Hoosier state, right now,” said Keira Amstutz, president and CEO of Indiana Humanities. “Thanks to the trust and generous support of Glick Philanthropies, we have a plan that not only continues to celebrate Hoosier authors and their recent works but will also shine a spotlight on the state’s literary community and deepen connections between Indiana’s writers and readers.”
Statistics about readership among Americans and access to local writers at the state’s public libraries point to the need for new resources to support Indiana’s literary community. Consider:
- 24% of Americans report they haven’t read a book within the last year, according to the Pew Research Center.
- More than 400,000 Hoosiers live in areas that aren’t served by a public library.
- At least 26 Indiana counties are in part or whole unserved by a public library, according to the Indiana Library Federation.
- Only 50% of Indiana librarians reported that they regularly add new books by Indiana authors to their collections, according to a survey conducted by Indiana Humanities.
“My parents, Eugene and Marilyn Glick, founded the Indiana Authors Awards because they believed that great authors come from Indiana—and that in order to excel, sometimes they need a flash of inspiration and recognition,” said Marianne Glick, chair of the Glick Family Foundation. “The success of this awards program and these fine writers is what we want to build upon.”
To learn more about the Indiana Authors Awards, nominate a book, or apply to host a speaker or writing workshop, visit www.IndianaAuthorsAwards.org.
About the Indiana Authors Awards
The Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana Authors Awards honor the best books written by Indiana authors. Awarded every two years, they celebrate Indiana writers, shine a light on the Hoosier state’s literary community and deepen connections between Indiana writers and readers. They were established in 2009 as a vision of Eugene and Marilyn Glick and are a new component of Indiana Humanities’ rich and diverse literary programming.
About Glick Philanthropies
Glick Philanthropies is a family of charitable initiatives, programs and organizations focused on building community and creating opportunity. Together, Glick Philanthropies strives to strengthen the quality of life in central Indiana and in communities where Gene B. Glick Company properties are located to ensure that people in those local communities can reach their full potential and lead lives of dignity. Glick Philanthropies includes the Glick Family Foundation, Glick Family Housing Foundation, Glick Fund at Central Indiana Community Foundation (CICF), and Glick Fund at the Jewish Federation of Greater Indianapolis (JFGI). Since 1982, Glick Philanthropies has awarded over $150 million to charitable causes and has led a transformative effort to improve education and economic opportunity on Indianapolis’ far eastside where the Gene B. Glick Company was originally headquartered. Learn more at www.glickphilanthropies.org.
About Indiana Humanities
Indiana Humanities connects people, opens minds and enriches lives by creating and facilitating programs that encourage people to think, read and talk. Learn more at www.indianahumanities.org.
