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Non-Print Media Award

The Folklore Society Non-Print Media Award (NPMA) is a biennial prize established in 2014 by the Folklore Society to encourage the study of folklore, to help improve the standard of folklore publications in media other than print in Britain and Ireland, and to establish the Folklore Society as an arbiter of excellence.

For the purposes of the award, ‘folklore studies’ are interpreted broadly, to include all aspects of traditional and popular culture, narrative, beliefs, customs and folk arts, including studies with a literary, anthropological, linguistic, sociological or geographical bias.

The award is open to all non-print media English-language publications on folklore having their first, original and initial publication in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland in the 2 years from 1 June to 31 May of the award year.

Each year three judges are appointed by the Society’s Council. The winning publication will be that which, in the opinion of the judges, has made the most distinguished contribution to folklore studies in the year in question. However, judges may withhold the Award if, in their opinion, no publication reaches the required standard. The judges’ decision is final.

The Award is presented at the reception following the annual Katharine Briggs Lecture in November. The main prize is the Award itself, but the winning author will be presented with a cheque for £150.

Please read the Rules below carefully to check eligibility.

If there is any doubt whether an entry is eligible, please contact the Award Convenor via thefolkloresociety@gmail.com in the first instance. In the case of ineligible entries already submitted, the judges shall arbitrate and their decision is final. Publications by the Folklore Society or by a member of the Society’s Council are not eligible.

Rule change from 2021: All non-print media not published in tangible form (e.g. CDs/DVDs), such as podcasts, websites, etc., are now eligible for submission; however, the entry must be accompanied by an archivable hard-copy format submission for the Folklore Society’s Library & Archives. Any publication ineligible last year now rendered eligible by this rule change may now be submitted.

In the case of material such as podcasts, online videos/recordings, etc., please select and submit up to 4 hours of material published within the eligibility period that you feel best represents the work. Alternatively, authors or publishers may wish to submit a focused submission of a single episode/recording.

Rules

  • The ‘Folklore Society Non-Print Media Award’ is a biennial prize established by The Folklore Society to encourage the study of folklore, to help improve the standard of folklore publications in media other than print in Britain and Ireland, and to establish the Folklore Society as an arbiter of excellence.
  • For the purposes of the award, ‘folklore studies’ are interpreted broadly, to include all aspects of traditional and popular culture, narrative, beliefs, customs and folk arts, including studies with a literary, anthropological, linguistic, sociological or geographical bias.
  • The award is open to all non-print media English language publications on folklore having their first, original and initial publication in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland in the period from 1 June to 31 May of the award year.
  • Eligible titles will include publications of new and older field-collected material and related studies. Commercial reinterpretations of traditional material, e.g. new arrangements of traditional music, new tellings of stories etc., are not eligible.  Television and radio programmes are excluded from consideration for the award. If there is any doubt whether an entry is eligible, the judges shall arbitrate and their decision is final.
  • Four copies of each publication must be submitted for entry. In the case of online/broadcast material (podcasts, websites etc), links to online access may be submitted but must be accompanied by one archivable durable copy (CD/DVD or other appropriate format) of the submission or a representative selection of it. Submissions must reach the Award Judges at the Society’s office by 31 May in the award year.
  • In the case of material such as podcasts, online videos/recordings, etc., select and submit up to 4 hours of material published within the eligibility period that you feel best represents the work. Alternatively, authors or publishers may wish to submit a focused submission of a single episode/recording.
  • There will be three Judges appointed by the Folklore Society’s Council. The winning publication will be that which, in the opinion of the Judges, made the most distinguished contribution to folklore studies in the 2 years in question. The Award Convenor cannot be a judge.
  • The Award will be presented at the Reception following the annual Katharine Briggs Lecture in November. The main prize will be the Award itself, but the winning author, or authors, will be presented with a cheque for £225. Where an author, is unable to attend the Reception in person, a representative of the publishers of the winning entry, will be invited to attend.
  • No publication by the Folklore Society, or by a member of the Society’s Council may be considered for the Award.
  • Publications submitted for the Award will not be returned, including any subsequently disqualified according to these Rules.
  • The Judges may withhold the Award if, in their opinion, no publication reaches the required standard.
  • The Judges’ decision is final. The Convenor of ‘Folklore Society Non-Print Media Award’ cannot be a Judge.
  • The Society’s Council may amend these Rules as it sees fit in future years.

Submission procedure

The Convenor sends out a call for submissions prior to the closing date of 31 May, but unsolicited entries from either publishers or authors are also very welcome, as the Convenor’s mailing list can never be comprehensive.

Download the Non-Print Media Award entry form

Four copies of each publication submitted for the Award must reach the Society’s office by 31 May to be eligible for the Award. Where publications are published in late May, the entry form must be received in the office by 31 May and the CDs/DVDs may be sent later by arrangement with The Folklore Society but before the end of June. It is highly recommended that publications be sent either by Registered/Recorded Delivery, or by courier. Publications submitted for the Award will not be returned, even if subsequently disqualified according to the rules.

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