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Honoring the legacy of an industry great.
The Thurber Prize for American Humor is the namesake of the late James Thurber, a prolific humor writer, cartoonist, and playwright of the 20th century.
You can learn more about James and his work by visiting www.thurberhouse.org.
Celebrating the very best in humor.
Authors from around the country submit their work each year in hope of being selected to receive the highest honor in humor writing today— The Thurber Prize for American Humor.
The award is given to one individual's hilarious book, as selected by our national panel of judges.
On April 28, 2023 at 7PM, Southern Theatre will come alive in a red carpet extravaganza and all-new show celebrating the finalists (and winner!) of this coveted national humor writing award, along with original music and dance for the times that is sure to keep your toes tappin' and the laughs flowin'.
Produced by Thurber House and created by local creatives and funny people, this is "The Mark Twain meets Tony Awards”.
The Thurber Prize is produced by Thurber House, a literary hub in Columbus, Ohio. Thurber is where the community gathers in celebration of the written word, ignited by art, and united in laughter. Within the walls of Thurber, writers find support, students find guidance, and community members find inspiration. Thurber House provides programming for both adults and children, author events, as well as operates the Thurber House museum dedicated to all things James Thurber.
Named for this humorist, author, playwright, and cartoonist, Thurber House celebrates the funny, preserves the legacy of its namesake, and acts as the heart of the community where laughter, learning, and literature meet.
Learn more about Thurber House at www.thurberhouse.org.
Our Sponsors & Major Supporters
The best in
humor writing.
At this year's show, we're bringing excerpts of our top three finalists' books to life on the stage through immersive readings from the finalists themselves. Learn more about our finalists below.
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Many Thanks
The Thurber Prize is only made possible by the support of our generous corporate and individual donors. Our Host Committee is comprised of a group of individual donors passionate about the award and the work of these great industry artists.
Our Hosts
Honorary Hosts: Paige & Michael Crane
Amanpal Garcha & Danielle Demko, David Hogrefe & Brian Kemp, Denise Mirman, Elizabeth Howard & Whit Vann, Fred & Debra Hadley, Highland Lakes Moms Book Club, Katherine & Doug Matthews, Mary Lazarus, Paul & Sandra Watkins, Paula Cole & Jacob Ledford, Robyn Warhol Nisbet, Win & Roberta Logan, Monica & Doug Kridler, Rebecca Perry Damsen & Benjamin F. Towle, Charles Flynn, Xenia Palus, Mary Coppolo, Bill & Marcia Evans
An agenda filled with knowledge
Design isn't just about making things look pretty. Design is about solving problems. That's why our design conference has an agenda made for you to learn the most valuable skills from our speakers.
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Everyone has their own unique perspective, and that's what makes designers so special. We all have our own individual processes, methodologies and ways of seeing the world. And it is this diversity that allows us to create such beautiful and innovative designs.
One of the most important things that designers can do is to create and maintain design systems. Design systems provide a shared set of standards and patterns that can be used by all members of a team. They help to ensure that everyone is on the same page, and they can save a lot of time and frustration in the long run.
Design sprints are all the rage these days, and it's easy to see why. After all, who wouldn't want to compress months of work into a single week? However, successfully completing a design sprint requires more than just a willingness to work long hours. In order to be successful, you need to understand the basics of Design Sprinting.
Designers are often asked to prototype websites and apps. Figma is a great tool for this purpose, and it's not difficult to learn. The more you practice, the better you'll become at prototyping websites and apps in Figma.
We've got the answers to your questions.
Seriously, if you have any questions about The Thurber Prize, we have the answers.
We have three finalists each year out of the hundreds of submissions that we receive from authors all across the country. From indie self-pubs to best-selling authors and everything in between, these writers try their chance at taking home the coveted Thurber Prize each year. Whether you're a seasoned professional or just getting started in the field, this award show is made by and for the industry to celebrate the very best in humor writing.
The live award show on April 28, 2023 in Columbus, OH allows you to see the finalists read and be awarded in real time. The show is also jam-packed with music, dance, and comedy to give you an unforgettable evening of humor.
Shhh... The judging process is top-secret... Just kidding. Any author from around the country with a qualifying book is able to submit their work for consideration. Once submissions close for the year, our panel of national judges quickly gets to work reading and scoring each book. This process is done in two rounds of judging which gives us our top six to seven, top three, then eventually our winner who is awarded the evening of the show.
Each year, the live show is attended by industry professionals, humor and/or writing enthusiasts, fans-of-the-authors, and many other people who just want to have a good time!
The award show by and for funny people.
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