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Burt Award recognizes YA lit by First Nations, Metis, and Inuit authors

Canadian literary organization CODE has announced a new award for works of YA fiction by native authors in Canada.

Established in collaboration with philanthropist William Burt and the Literary Prizes Foundation, the Burt Award for First Nations, Métis and Inuit Literature is modelled after the Burt Award for African Literature, a YA prize that has been in existence since 2008.

The inaugural annual award will be presented to three English-language YA books, with a prize of $12,000 for the winning author (and translator, where applicable). Two runners-up will receive $8,000 and $5,000, respectively, and publishers of the winning titles will be awarded a guaranteed purchase of 2,500 copies to ensure communities have access to the books.

The Canada Council for the Arts will administer the Burt Award jury process. Submissions are now open and will be accepted until May 1, 2013.