This award, established in 1994, perpetuates the memory of Richard Imison to acknowledge the encouragement, support and friendship he invariably gave to all writers, and particularly those working in the medium of radio.
The purpose of the Award is to encourage new talent and high standards in writing for radio, and it is awarded for the best original radio drama script by a writer new to radio.
Bill Nighy, patron of the Award, says:
'Acting on the radio was my apprenticeship when I was young and if anything should threaten BBC Radio 4, I would have to consider leaving the country. Radio is an essential part of our cultural identity and radio plays are mysterious and cool.'
The winner of the Imison Award 2012 was announced on Sunday 27 January 2013 as part of the BBC Audio Drama Awards in the Radio Theatre at BBC Broadcasting House. The award was announced and presented by the distinguished screenwriter and author, Andrew Davies.
The Winner
Do You Like Banana, Comrades? by Csaba Székely
The Shortlist
The shortlisted dramas are:
The Takeover by Paul Sellar (above left)
The Day We Caught the Train by Nick Payne (above center)
Do You Like Banana, Comrades? by Csaba Székely (above right)
The 2012 Imison Award was judged by members of the Society's Broadcasting Committee: Alison Joseph (Chair), Ruth Brandon, Lucy Caldwell, Christopher William Hill, Michelle Lipton, Karl Sabbagh, John Taylor, Colin Teevan, Jane Thynne and Elizabeth-Anne Wheal.
We are grateful to the Peggy Ramsay Foundation for providing the £1,500 prize money.
Download the full press release for the Imison Award 2012.
The 2013 Imison Award
Submissions will be accepted from any party (production, broadcasting organisation, producer or independent production company, editor, writer, writer's agent, etc…)
Eligibility
Any radio drama broadcast within the United Kingdom from 1 July 2012 to 31 October 2013 by a writer (or writers) new to radio. The work must be an original piece for radio, and it must be the first dramatic work by the writer or writers that has been broadcast. It may also include the first episode from an original series or serial. We would like to hear all 5 episodes of any Woman's Hour serial that is submitted.
An adaptation for radio of a piece originally written for any other medium e.g. stage, television, film, novel, poem or a short story will not be eligible.
Submissions
Submissions for the award must consist of:
A completed nomination form as well as three copies of the writer's original script and recording of the broadcast. Further copies may be requested.
Each submission should be accompanied by a supporting statement, synopsis and author biography (each no more than 250 words). Please email text to JMccrum@societyofauthors.org
Entries will not be returned and should be sent to:
Jo McCrum, The Society of Authors, 84 Drayton Gardens, London, SW10 9SB.
Deadline for entries: Wednesday 10 July 2013.
Download the guidelines and entry form
For further information about the Imison Award please contact Jo McCrum (tel: 020 7373 6642)