Short story ‘Space’ by Masande Ntshanga wins the inaugural PEN International/New Voices Award

The PEN International/New Voices Award 2013 was given yesterday evening, September 11, to Masande Ntshanga for his work ‘Space’. Writer and jury member Alain Mabanckou presented the prize of $1000USD at the Reykjavík International Literary Festival, during the 79th PEN International Congress.

Laura McVeigh, Executive Director of PEN International, said:
“In each generation literary talent finds a way to rise to the top, but the New Voices Award aims to speed up this process by highlighting work by writers still unpublished.
We're delighted to celebrate this talent with PEN Centres from around the world in the inaugural PEN International/New Voices Award, which continues PEN's tradition of bringing together writers worldwide to promote literature and free expression.”

Congratulations also to finalists José Pablo Salas and Claire Battershill. We would like to thank all the candidates who entered the competition, the PEN Centres who nominated them and the panel of six judges for all their hard work.

Judges: Hephzibah Anderson, Bibi Bakare-Yusuf, Carole Blake, Alain Mabanckou, Sjón, Luisa Valenzuela

Masande Ntshanga (b.1986. Nominated by South African PEN) was born in East London and grew up between Mdantsane, Zeleni, Bisho, King William's Town, Estcourt and Pietermaritzburg. He attended the University of Cape Town and received a BA in Film and Media Production, as well as a BA (Honours) in English Studies. Masande started writing as a teenager, perhaps in response to the impact of transition, and published his first story at eighteen. This and others have been included in Laugh it Off Vol. 2, itch magazine, Imago Vol. 1 and other venues. Masande is currently enrolled for an MA in Creative Writing at the University of Cape Town, where he’s working on a novel under the Mellon Mays Fellowship Program.

PEN International/New Voices Award 2013 shortlist in full:

‘Space’ by Masande Ntshanga (South African PEN)

‘Temporada de halcones/Falcon Season’ by José Pablo Salas (PEN Mexico)

‘The Collective Name for Ninjas’ by Claire Battershill (PEN Canada)

Read the shortlist and winning story here

For further information contact James Tennant, Literary Manager:
james.tennant@pen-international.org