About the Prize

Why the Dylan Thomas Prize?

As part of her message to the audience at the launch event of the Dylan Thomas Prize, actress Catherine Zeta Jones said the prize had been created in honour of the poet and in "recognition of the way in which his youthful talent was nurtured in his native city of Swansea."

The young Dylan wrote his poems and ideas in notebooks from his mid-teens onward; this proved to be the most prolific period of his life and many of the poems in his first collection 18 Poems (published in 1934 when he was just 20) were written during this period. Literary London in the 1930s was quick to acclaim the energy and innovation of the young poet's work, much of it written in his bedroom at 5 Cwmdonkin Drive, overlooking Swansea Bay.

It is therefore fitting that the Dylan Thomas Prize should be awarded to the best published writer in English under the age of 30 from anywhere in the world. The poet's writings from his youth continued to inspire his work up until the 1940s and the themes he explored in those notebooks continued to influence him throughout his life. Images of birth, death, the body and a fascination with the natural world emerge time and again in his vivid verse.

The city where he grew up proved to be a lasting influence on Dylan, even when he was many miles away; Swansea nurtured and supported him and he often displayed a yearning to return to the city of his childhood. Written in the late 1940s, his radio broadcast Return Journey paints a vivid picture of a Swansea that was, even then, long lost under a hail of German bombs and the flow of passing years. His first poems and essays were printed in his school magazine, and when he left school at 16 he was fully aware that he wanted to be a writer. The encouragement of friends, relatives and colleagues meant that he was able to keep his dream alive, growing to finally become an internationally-acclaimed writer. Swansea was Dylan's world, and Swansea gave Dylan to the world. For this reason the city is now setting out to encourage and reward exciting writing, not only in Wales but throughout the English-reading world.

It will also serve as a reminder that Dylan, so often thought of as the quintessential romantic poet of the 20th Century, was also a highly professional writer. Alongside his poetry, he wrote not only stories, recollections and screenplays, but also the most striking radio play ever written - Under Milk Wood. In bringing young writers from across the globe to Swansea, the Prize ensures that the inspirational nature of Dylan's writing will live on. It also aims to inspire in people a love of words and ideas; to make them as vital and powerful to everybody as they were to the poet himself.

The 'Original' Prize

The Prize would like to thank Mr Clifford Simmons for forwarding a short history of the origins of the Dylan Thomas Prize which we have included below:

Dylan Thomas Literary Award - "The Original Prize" - a short history.

I am going back approximately twenty five years, and I should explain that the prize is indirectly linked to the plaque commemorating Dylan in Poets Corner in Westminster Abbey. As a rider I should say that plaques are rather expensive.

Harlech Television offered their services for a special fund-raising concert compered by Richard Burton. It was a great success, both financially and audience appreciation.

There was a surplus after meeting the cost of the plaque. This money was then given by Harlech so as to establish the Original Dylan Thomas Literary Prize, we who had longed for the creation of such an award were deeply grateful.

As the appointed Chairman I had no difficulty in forming a committee. I name a few of the original members, Wynford Vaughan Thomas, George Tremlett, author, who had done so much to enchance the memory of Dylan. I mention his book 'Caitlin, Life with Dylan Thomas by George and Caitlin. Others on the committee were, the Dean of Westminster, Dylan's and Caitlin's daughter, Aeronwy. Of course there was a representative of Harlech Television.

The mechanics of the prize would be handled by the General Secretary of the Poetry Society. I was the Chairman at the time.

e decided that the prize would alternate each year - one year for a poem and the next year a short story. Why? Because these represented Dylan's great talents.

The prize money was fixed at £1,000 (reasonable all those years ago) The judges were paid £200 each. Every year those chosen were of standing in the literary world. There was one restriction- at least one judge should have Welsh connections.

Three of those who made the presentations included Caitlin, Jill Balcon (Jill Day Lewis) and Anthony Hopkins.

I am glad to say that the prize soon established itself.

The time came when we were short of funds. We did something we knew could only be done once - we wrote to names who were admirers of Dylan - the result was very good. For example, President Carter subscribed and we received a magnificent gift from Dame Margaret Rawlings.

We kept the prize going for several years. Until again we were faced with a shortage of funds. Applications to the normal sources did not prevail. We hoped that one day it would rise again. I suppose that technically I am still Chairman of the 'Original Prize'.

Clifford Simmons
Chevalier de L'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres - French.

Gold Medal of the Masaryk Academy of Arts - Czech Republic.