The KOBZAR Book Award is a biennial literary prize that honors Canadian authors whose work engages substantively with the Ukrainian Canadian experience. Administered by the Shevchenko Foundation, the award encompasses six genres: literary non-fiction, fiction, poetry, young readers’ literature, play, screenplay, and musical. Its scope is national, and its purpose is to sustain and celebrate a specific cultural inheritance within the broader Canadian literary landscape. The award carries a total prize of $25,000 CAD, with $20,000 CAD directed to the author and $5,000 CAD to the publisher of the winning title. This dual recognition acknowledges the collaborative nature of literary production and the vital role publishers play in bringing culturally specific works to public view. There is no entry fee, and the deadline for the current cycle is December 7, 2026. While the prize is substantial, its curatorial vision is rooted in cultural specificity rather than broad appeal. The jury will seek works that demonstrate a tangible, meaningful connection to Ukrainian Canadian life—whether through history, memory, identity, or imaginative engagement. The award does not privilege a single aesthetic or formal approach; rather, it values authenticity of connection and literary merit across a range of genres and media.