by Children’s Books Ireland
The deadline for nominations for
Laureate na nÓg 2012 – 2014 is fast approaching. You only have until next Friday, the 24th February, to let us know who you think should be our second Laureate na nÓg, so get those nominations in! Laureate na nÓg is an initiative of the Arts Council with the support of the Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (OMCYA), Children’s Books Ireland, Poetry Ireland and the Arts Council of Northern Ireland.
This important project:
1. Introduces high quality children’s literature to a new audience of adults, children and young people.
2. Raises the profile of children’s literature in Ireland.
3. Increases media attention for children’s literature in Ireland and internationally.
4. Brings children’s literature into the mainstream conversation about books and literature in Ireland.
5. Builds partnership and cooperation among various players in the children’s literature sector.
The initiative was instigated in 2010 with the inauguration of Siobhán Parkinson as Ireland’s first ever Laureate na nÓg. Siobhán will complete her imaginative and successful term in May 2012. We therefore invite you to make a nomination for the 2012 – 2014 laureateship.
The person nominated must meet five key criteria:
1. The laureate should be a writer or illustrator with an internationally recognised body of high quality children’s writing and/or illustration, and may write in Irish or English.
2. He or she must have made a particularly significant contribution to the field of children’s literature in Ireland and have had a considerable positive impact on readers as well as other writers and illustrators.
3. He or she must demonstrate both eagerness and skill in engaging with children, young people, adults and media and with the sector as a whole.
4. He or she should demonstrate an enthusiasm for promoting children’s literature in general.
5. The laureate must be Irish.
Laureate na nÓg 2012 – 2014 will be chosen by the selection committee which will include representatives from the Arts Council, Children’s Books Ireland, OMCYA, and Poetry Ireland as well as experts from a range of relevant fields.The new Laureate na nÓg will be announced in May 2012.
Please find a nomination form attached. Completed forms must be returned to CBI, 17 North Great George’s St., Dublin 1, by 5 pm on February 24th 2012.
Alternatively you can send your nomination via email to info@childrensbooksireland.ie. Please include your full name and postal address.
You can read more about Laureate na nÓg on the dedicated website www.childrenslaureate.ie.
SCBWI Ireland 