When the 2026 Commonwealth Short Story Prize goes live in 54 countries next Tuesday night (June 30), it will be hosted by Jamaican communications and media specialist Stacy-Ann Smith. 

The Short Story Prize, which is run by the London-based Commonwealth Foundation, is an annual competition open to writers from across the Commonwealth of Nations. Smith, who is herself an award-winning writer and published author, is the second Jamaican in recent years to be given the honour of hosting the online awards show. 

According to Smith, “this is such an honour for multiple reasons. It’s a proud moment when you’re asked to step on a global platform, but it’s also a kind of full-circle moment for me. I entered the Commonwealth Short Story Prize in 2022, and my story actually made it to the longlist – the top 200 stories from more than 6000 writers who entered that year. I didn’t make it to the shortlist, but as far as I was concerned, I was already a winner. 

Continuing, Smith, who published her memoir, ‘Time Does Not Heal’ in 2021, says, “the Short Story Prize really boosted my confidence as a writer. It was validation. It was the push I needed to enter other competitions, where my work was also recognised.” The chief strategist and creative mind behind her own communications consulting business, Danrak Productions, describes her collaboration with the Commonwealth Foundation as a dream come true.

“Imagine me, a little Jamaican girl from Marverley, hosting an event that will be seen in more than 50 countries, celebrating brilliant writers in this amazing competition! It’s just remarkable. My one regret is that Daddy Carl isn’t here to see this,” explains Smith, referencing her father, who passed away in 2019.

Commonwealth Short Story Prize 

Now in its 14^th year, the Commonwealth Short Story Prize continues to create opportunities for writers around the world to showcase their creativity. Built for unpublished short fiction, the competition is open to citizens of member states of the Commonwealth of Nations aged 18 and over. 

Every year the outcomes roll out in stages, first with the public announcement of shortlisted writers, followed by the naming of winners from each of the five regions – Africa, Asia, Canada and Europe, the Caribbean, and the Pacific. 

Entries go through multiple rounds of judging, with one overall winner announced in an awards show. This year, just over 7800 submissions were received. Besides global recognition and prize money, winning writers get their stories published.

In addition to onscreen talent, the UK organisation worked with a Jamaican film crew to produce the online ceremony. Production veteran and chief executive officer of Just Create, Damion Brown, was tasked with the video production responsibilities. 

For Brown, it’s the second collaboration with the Commonwealth Foundation in recent years. Just Create was the selected production company to work with the team when award-winning journalist, attorney and podcaster, Dionne Jackson-Miller, hosted the online ceremony in 2023, the same year Jamaican writer, Kwame McPherson, emerged the overall winner.