NEW YORK CITY: American Academy of Arts and Letters has announced the winners of its 2016 awards in literature, which honors established and emerging writers of drama, fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. The winning playwrights are Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, Stephen Adly Guirgis, and Lynn Nottage. They will receive prizes ranging from $10,000 to $20,000 at a ceremony in New York this May.
Branden Jacobs-Jenkins will receive the Benjamin H. Danks Award, given every three years to an exceptional young playwright. The prize comes with $20,000.
Stephen Adly Guirgis and Lynn Nottage will both receive the Arts and Letters Awards in Literature, with a prize of $10,000.
The American Academy of Arts and Letters was established in 1898 to “foster, assist, and sustain an interest in literature, music, and the fine arts.” This year’s award committee members were John Guare, Sharon Olds, Anne Tyler, Rosanna Warren, and Joy Williams. This year’s prizes total $550,000.
