Controversy Surrounds Closure of Plaza Prizes for Writers

The Plaza Prizes, a writing competition established in 2022 with a £20,000 prize fund, has reportedly shut down, leaving both winners and judges without compensation. The competition aimed to support emerging writers by offering ten awards judged by prominent literary figures, including Booker Prize winner Damon Galgut. However, allegations of unpaid judges and disqualified winners have emerged, raising concerns about the integrity of the competition.

The Guardian

Several judges, including Damon Galgut and Anthony Joseph, have claimed they were not compensated for their roles in the 2025 competition. Galgut, who was promised £1,500 for judging the fiction section, stated that after submitting his report, he received no payment despite multiple attempts to contact Simon Kerr, the founder of the Plaza Prizes. Kerr initially claimed that Galgut had not invoiced him correctly but later threatened legal action against Galgut for defamation when payment was requested.

The Guardian

Joseph, who judged the audio poetry prize, also reported non-payment of £1,250 and has since taken his case to small claims court. He attributed delays in his work to a car accident and refuted Kerr's claims of coercive communication.

The Guardian

The controversy deepened when winners, including Peter Doolan, were disqualified based on allegations of using AI-generated content. Doolan received a notification stating that his entry was flagged by AI content detectors, despite his assertion that his poem was originally published in 2018. Another anonymous winner echoed similar concerns, stating they were disqualified without an opportunity to prove the originality of their work.

The Guardian

Simon Kerr, the founder of the Plaza Prizes, has a history of financial difficulties related to previous writing competitions. Reports indicate that he received grants from the Society of Authors and the Royal Society of Literature to avoid losing his home during the pandemic. Kerr has publicly expressed gratitude to the writing community for their support during challenging times, stating that the Plaza Prizes were a mission to maintain his mental well-being.

The Guardian

The Plaza Prizes awards ceremony, originally scheduled to take place in the Dordogne, France, was canceled, with Kerr citing the withdrawal of support from a millionaire fantasy writer due to the quality of entries. Additionally, a linked short story writing course was also canceled due to insufficient funding. Kerr has made appeals for financial assistance to publish a planned anthology, indicating ongoing struggles to sustain the competition.

The Guardian

Critics of the Plaza Prizes have labeled the competition a "scam," particularly in light of the allegations surrounding unpaid judges and disqualified winners. The lack of transparency and communication from Kerr has further fueled dissatisfaction among participants.

The Guardian

Discrepancies exist regarding the reasons for disqualifications and the payment issues faced by judges. While Kerr claims that the judges' work was incomplete or late, the judges contest these assertions, highlighting a lack of clarity in the competition's operations.

The Guardian

• “Apparently, in your rarefied world it was somehow up to me to pluck these elusive payment details from the Platonic ether,” — Damon Galgut, Judge

The Guardian

• “While we cannot know with certainty the extent (if any) of AI involvement in the generation of this piece, The Plaza Prizes has a zero-tolerance policy for the use of generative AI.” — Email Notification to Peter Doolan

The Guardian

• “Joseph said the work was late because of a car accident he was in and said claims about the tone of his emails were exaggerated.” — Anthony Joseph, Judge

The Guardian

The future of the Plaza Prizes remains uncertain as the fallout from these controversies continues to unfold.

The Guardian