The Miami Book Fair at Miami Dade College along with The National Poetry Series have announced the return of The Paz Prize for Poetry award named after the late Nobel Prize-winning poet Octavio Paz. The prize is awarded every two years.
“This type of award is important for talented writers who live in the U.S., to be able to express their work in two languages, Spanish and English,” said Lissette Mendez, the program director for the MBF at MDC. “It highlights their work.”
The prize originated in 2010 and recognizes a formerly unpublished poetry book written in Spanish by a poet residing in the U.S.
In addition to the award, the winning poet will also have the opportunity to have their book published bilingually by a respected independent publisher and a $2,000 cash prize.
Former past winners include Dinapiera DiDonato and Carlos Pintado.
The National Poetry Series, created by Daniel Halpern and James Michener, commenced in 1978 to make sure five collections of poetry are published yearly by participating publishers.
The process of choosing a winner takes a year. Applicants can submit their work by mail from May 1 through June 15. The mailing address along with the guidelines can be found on the following link: www.miamibookfair.com/paz-prize-for-poetry
