Two Oxford-born writers have been named on the longlist for the Swansea University Dylan Thomas Prize 2026, one of the best-known international literary awards for young writers.
Harriet Armstrong, from Oxford, is longlisted for To Rest Our Minds and Bodies, described by organisers as an unconventional novel set on an unnamed university campus, charting a young woman’s struggle to keep her grip on reality.
Issa Quincy, who was born in Oxford and is now based in New York, is longlisted for Absence, in which an unnamed narrator returns to a childhood memory of his mother reading a poem before becoming “an embodied archive” for forgotten stories.
What is the Dylan Thomas Prize?
The Swansea University Dylan Thomas Prize is a £20,000 award for the best published literary work in English by a writer aged 39 or under. It recognises fiction, poetry, short stories and drama, and is named after Swansea-born writer Dylan Thomas, celebrating the 39 years of his life and work. The 12-title longlist will be shortlisted in March, with the winner announced in May on International Dylan Thomas Day.
Oxford links
Organisers said Armstrong was born and raised in Oxford, and that her debut novel was published in June 2025. The longlist announcement notes she now lives and works in London.
Quincy is described as Oxford-born and New York-based, and longlisted for his debut novel published by Granta.
Worth £20,000, the prize recognises published literary work in English by writers aged 39 or under, across fiction, poetry, short stories and drama. The award is named after Swansea-born writer Dylan Thomas, and marks the 39 years of his life and work.
Key facts
- Prize value: £20,000
- Eligibility: 39 or under
- Longlist: 12 titles (seven novels, three poetry collections, two short story collections)
- Shortlist announcement: Thursday 19 March 2026
- Winner: Thursday 14 May 2026 (International Dylan Thomas Day)
Full longlist: Swansea University Dylan Thomas Prize 2026
| Author | Title | Publisher | Form |
| Harriet Armstrong | To Rest Our Minds and Bodies | Les Fugitives | Novel |
| Isabelle Baafi | Chaotic Good | Faber | Poetry |
| Colwill Brown | We Pretty Pieces of Flesh | Chatto & Windus, Vintage | Novel |
| Sasha Debevec-McKenney | Joy Is My Middle Name | Fitzcarraldo Editions | Poetry |
| Suzannah V. Evans | Under the Blue | Bloomsbury Poetry | Poetry |
| Seán Hewitt | Open, Heaven | Jonathan Cape, Vintage | Novel |
| Kanza Javed | What Remains After a Fire | W.W. Norton & Company | Short stories |
| Esther Ifesinachi Okonkwo | The Tiny Things Are Heavier | Manilla Press, Bonnier Books | Novel |
| Derek Owusu | Borderline Fiction | Canongate | Novel |
| Issa Quincy | Absence | Granta | Novel |
| Saba Sams | Gunk | Bloomsbury Circus | Novel |
| Vanessa Santos | Make a Home of Me | Dead Ink Books | Short stories |
Organisers said the list is “one of the freshest longlists in years”, with seven of the 12 nominees recognised for debut work.
Three writers on the longlist have been nominated for the prize before: Seán Hewitt, Saba Sams and Derek Owusu.
The shortlist will be selected by a judging panel chaired by Irenosen Okojie MBE, joined by Joe Dunthorne, Nidhi Zak/Aria Eipe, Prajwal Parajuly, and Eley Williams, who is also described as living in Oxfordshire.
Last year’s prize went to Yasmin Zaher for her novel The Coin. Previous winners include Caleb Azumah Nelson, Patricia Lockwood, Max Porter, Raven Leilani, Bryan Washington and Fiona McFarlane.
The shortlist will be announced on Thursday 19 March, followed by a shortlist event in London on Wednesday 13 May, and the winner will be revealed on Thursday 14 May in Swansea.
