Financial Times/OppenheimerFunds present the Emerging Voices Awards 2015. The award, in its inaugural year, aims to recognise extraordinary talent in the arts, including fiction, film and art.

“There is a remarkable structural shift in the world, propelled by economic progress in the developing markets and the advanced reach of the Internet. More connectivity and greater variety of voices in the business, science and arts communities are leading to a new renaissance. The Financial Times and OppenheimerFunds are delighted to provide a platform to recognise the people contributing to these markets.”

The fiction award is open to nationals or residents of emerging nations in Africa and the Middle East. Only books first published between 1 January 2014 and 30 September 2015, and having a minimum of 20,000 words, are eligible. Entries are open until 30 April 2015, and winners in each category will be announced at a special gala on 5 October 2015. Winners in each category will receive the sum of $40,000.

For more information on entry criteria, entry categories and the awards schedule, please visit the awards website.