In celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Women’s Prize for Fiction, we are thrilled to announce the Outstanding Contribution Award.
This one-off literary honour is designed to reflect the charitable purpose of the Women’s Prize Trust and the founding principles of the Women’s Prize for Fiction: to celebrate and amplify women’s voices, to open the pathways into writing as a viable career choice for women from all backgrounds, and to shine a spotlight on exceptional, original books for readers to discover and enjoy.
Announced on 4 June 2025, this special honour will be awarded to a living female writer in recognition of her body of work, her significant contribution to literature, and her strong advocacy for women. Authors who have been previously longlisted, shortlisted or have won the Women’s Prize for Fiction over the past three decades, and have published a minimum of five books, are eligible for the award.
Funded by Bukhman Philanthropies – a registered UK charity with a shared commitment to creating meaningful social change – the recipient of this award will receive £100,000 prize money and a special sculpture, presented on 12 June at the Women’s Prize Trust’s summer party in London, alongside the winners of the 2025 Women’s Prize for Fiction and the Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction. The winning author will also be the guest of honour at a dinner at the Doyle Collection’s Bloomsbury Hotel organised by Harpers Bazaar, who are partnering with the Women’s Prize in their 30th year. The winner will be selected via a closed judging process, with no longlist or shortlist announced prior to the winner announcement on 4 June.
The judging panel
The judging panel for the Women’s Prize Outstanding Contribution Award will be chaired by novelist and non-fiction author Kate Mosse CBE, Founder Director of the Women’s Prize for Fiction and Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction. Kate will be joined by a selection of former judges of the Women’s Prize for Fiction: Dame Gillian Beer, academic and writer; Scarlett Curtis, writer, activist and trustee of the Women’s Prize Trust board; Bonnie Greer OBE, playwright, author and critic; and Vick Hope, broadcaster and host of the Women’s Prize Bookshelfie podcast.
As we prepare to announce the 30th winner of the Women’s Prize for Fiction, what better time to look back through our history? In a world where women’s voices are increasingly being silenced, and where the arts themselves are under attack, it is crucially important that we stand together to honour those whose brilliance, skill, dedication and inspiration make such a difference to our lives. Books encourage empathy, they help us to stand in other people’s shoes, and to discover worlds other than our own. Over thirty years, the Women’s Prize has been building a library for readers and we are so grateful to Daria and Dmitri Bukhman for supporting this wonderful moment in the Prize’s history and for honouring the greatest female writers of our age.
Founder Director of the Women's Prize's for Fiction and Non-Fiction, Kate Mosse
The Judging Panel
The Women’s Prize Outstanding Contribution Award award is funded by Bukhman Philanthropies, a registered UK charity with a commitment to creating meaningful social change. The diverse philanthropic aspirations of its founders, Dmitri and Daria Bukhman, includes supporting literature and writers, as well as neonatal and maternity units, and children and young people. By elevating the voices of authors through philanthropy, Bukhman Philanthropies aims to nurture creative and critical thinking, fostering diverse perspectives and enriching our cultural landscape.
I’ve always admired the Women’s Prize for its dedication to celebrating female voices and showcasing such a diverse range of storytelling. When I first moved to London, I remember spotting the Women’s Prize sticker on a novel at a local bookstore, and it felt like an invitation to discover something special. Since then, I’ve devoured so many novels from the Women’s Prize library, exploring worlds that I would never have experienced otherwise. Bukhman Philanthropies is extremely proud to support the Women’s Prize Trust with this exciting new award to commemorate one outstanding writer. We hope that our work together will help nurture creativity, ensuring that future generations have access to a broad spectrum of ideas, experiences and worldviews. In an age where narratives often become homogenised, philanthropy can help provide a platform for underrepresented voices, offering stories that challenge societal norms, provoke thought, inspire change and create a more empathetic and informed society.
Daria Bukhman, Co-Founder and Chair of Bukhman Philanthropies
