The Sharjah Book Authority has opened nominations for the Sharjah International Book Fair 2026 Awards — the 45th edition — comprising 10 competitive prizes with a total value of 625,000 dirhams. The awards honour outstanding achievements in authorship and publishing, spotlight Emirati and Arab talent, and support the presence of distinguished books locally and globally. They cover fields including fiction, studies, poetry, and foreign books, alongside recognition of local, Arab, and international publishing houses.
Applications will be accepted until 31 August via the link: https://sibf.com/ar/awards. Winners will be announced during the opening ceremony of the 45th Sharjah International Book Fair.
The awards embody the vision of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, in celebrating creative and intellectual output and presenting distinguished role models for the new generation of writers, publishers, and researchers. They also fulfil the mission of the Sharjah Book Authority, which operates under the leadership of Her Highness Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Sharjah Book Authority's Board of Directors, to reinforce the emirate's standing as a global hub for books and the publishing industry, and as an incubator for creators, publishers, and translators from around the world.
The Sharjah International Book Fair Awards are distributed across four main categories: the Sharjah Emirati Book Award, the Sharjah Award for Best Arab Novel, the Sharjah Award for Best Foreign Book, and the Sharjah Publishing Houses Award.
The awards cover publications from 2025 and 2026, with the exception of the Best Emirati Book in Literary Creativity — Poetry category, which also accepts publications from 2024.
The Sharjah Emirati Book Award celebrates local intellectual and creative output, shining a spotlight on Emirati authors and local publishing houses while highlighting national talent and local cultural contributions. It comprises four subcategories with combined prize money of 300,000 dirhams: 100,000 dirhams for Best Emirati Novel, 100,000 dirhams for Best Emirati Book in Studies, and 100,000 dirhams divided equally between Best Emirati Book in Literary Creativity — Poetry and Best Emirati Debut Novel.
The Sharjah Award for Best Arab Novel carries a value of 150,000 dirhams, split equally between the author and the publisher. It honours the Arabic novel that combines authenticity with innovation and offers a literary treatment of human, societal, and Arab contemporary issues through a coherent creative vision.
The Sharjah Award for Best Foreign Book has a total value of 100,000 dirhams and is granted to books published in English. It is divided equally between two subcategories: Best Foreign Fiction Book, encompassing novels, short stories, and imaginative literary works, and Best Foreign Non-Fiction Book, which honours serious intellectual, knowledge-based, and research works.
The Sharjah Publishing Houses Award honours distinguished publishers who contribute to the development of the publishing industry through serious, knowledge- and culture-rich titles. Its total value is 75,000 dirhams, distributed across three categories at 25,000 dirhams each: Best Local Publishing House, Best Arab Publishing House, and Best Foreign Publishing House.