Established in 1996 and funded by the Criticos-Fotinelli Foundation, the Prize worth £10,000 will be awarded to the author of an original work in English published in 2011 and inspired by Greece or Hellenic culture: ancient, Hellenistic, Byzantine or modern.

Areas of interest are not restricted but, since the work must be accessible to a broad readership, shortlists revolve around archaeology, art, history, and literature.

The 2010 Criticos Prize was awarded to Zachary Mason for his novel, The Lost Books of the Odyssey (Jonathan Cape) at a ceremony which took place on 8 November 2011 at the Hellenic Centre in London. Nikos Fokas was also honoured for his lifetime achievement in poetry and literature on the occasion of the publication of The Known: Collected Poems (1981-2000), trans. Don Schofield (Ypsilon Press).

Although the Prize is always directed towards rewarding works of excellence, the sponsors would particularly like to encourage the submission of original works of literature (fiction, poetry, travel).

All works are judged by a panel of experts selected by the London Hellenic Society which administers the Prize. The winner of the 2011 Prize will be announced in June 2012.

Individual applicants or their publishers may submit any number of titles (two copies of each). The deadline is 31 January 2012.

Submissions for the 2011 Prize should be made to:

The London Hellenic Society
Criticos Prize
Hellenic Centre
16-18 Paddington Street
London W1U 5AS