Tómas Guðmundsson Literary Award
The Tómas Guðmundsson Literary Awards are presented annually in memory of the poet for an unpublished poetry manuscript. The Culture and Sports Council appoints a three-member selection committee, which is responsible for choosing the winner from the submitted manuscripts. The Reykjavík UNESCO City of Literature office administers the awards.
Applicants must submit anonymous manuscripts in PDF format via this page. The submission deadline is March 1, 2026. This award is customarily presented in October.
How can I participate?
Applicants must submit anonymous manuscripts in PDF format via this page. The submission deadline is March 1, 2026. The manuscripts are stored in a secure area and deleted two weeks after the selection committee reaches a decision. To ensure impartiality, the submission process protects author anonymity. Submissions are processed through a secure portal, and the selection committee receives manuscripts identified only by pseudonyms, preserving the confidentiality of previous years.
Who owns the publishing rights?
The publication rights for the winning manuscript are retained by the author or the publisher they choose to work with.
What are the awards?
The prize winner receives a monetary award along with the recognition itself. The prize is funded by Reykjavík City and is presented annually at the beginning of winter. In 2026, the amount of the Reward will be 1,000,000 Icelandic krónur.
How is the selection committee formed?
The Selection Committee for the Award is appointed by the Sports and Recreation Council for one-year at a time. It consists of three members: one designated by the Writers' Union of Iceland, another by the Association of Icelandic Publishers, and the third by Reykjavík UNESCO City of Literature, which also appoints the chairperson.
If the Selection Committee unanimously agrees that none of the received works meet the required standards for the Award, the presentation of the Award may be canceled for that year.