Austin Clarke Prize 2025 Shortlists

November 24, 2025

We're so pleased to announce the shortlists for the 2025 Austin Clarke Prize in Literary Excellence, selected by judges Faith Arkorful (poetry) and Iryn Tushabe (fiction).

Poetry

"I had to get out" by Adam Arca
"When I Was My Mother" by Rijaa Khan
"Raspberries in Pseudo-Winter" by Rijaa Khan
"Walter" by Haddiyah Kuma
"How to Discard a Home" by Jade Palmer

Fiction

"You, like?" by kailash srinivasan
"Thousands of Longings Like These" by Madeeha Hashmi
"The Bottom of the Sack" by Camille Pavlenko
"Mother's Mittens" by Scott Olsen
"Teeth" by Melanie Smart

Congratulations to the shortlisted writers! Stay tuned for the reveal of the winners and runners-up in our winter issue coming out Dec 1!