Ursa Major Award Nominations Closing Soon!

More formally known as the Annual Anthropomorphic Literature and Arts Award, the Ursa Major Award is presented annually for excellence in the furry arts. It is intended as Anthropomorphic (a.k.a. Furry) Fandom's equivalent of the Hugo Award® presented by the World Science Fiction Society, mystery fandom's Anthony Award, horror fandom's Bram Stoker Award, and so forth.

Anyone may nominate. Nominations for 2004 works are open until April 15.
For those who wish to participate, an online form is now available at http://www.ursamajorawards.org/nominations.htm. You can also send in nominations by e-mail or postal mail; details are on the same web page.

To jog your memory of what may be worthy of nomination, check out the Recommended Anthropomorphics List at http://www.ursamajorawards.org/ReadList.htm.Voting for the 2004 Ursa Major Award will take place from May 15 to June 10. You will receive a ballot if you make nominations, or contact [email protected] to be placed on the ballot mailing list. The Award will be presented at Anthrocon 2005 in Philadelphia in July.

To be eligible, a work must have been released between January 1 and December 31 of the calendar year for that award, and must include a non-human being given human atributes (anthropomorphic), which can be mental and/or physical (for example the intelligent rabbits in Watership Down for the former, and Bugs Bunny for the latter.) Simply including an animal character is not sufficient to qualify.

Nominations are not limited to items included on the Recommended Anthropomorphics List, which are merely some people's recommendations. Any works first published during the year under consideration are eligible.

The Ursa Major Award was administered and presented during its first two years by The ConFurence Group, a membership organization dedicated to promoting anthropomorphic fandom-related events. It is now presented by the Anthropomorphic Literature and Arts Association (ALAA), a membership organization dedicated to promoting anthropomorphic literature and arts through such projects as this List and Award, and others which may be undertaken later. Discussions are currently taking place to improve their effectiveness and expand their presence throughout Furry fandom. All suggestions are invited. Contact [email protected].

'Hugo Award,' 'Worldcon,' and 'World Science Fiction Society' are registered service marks of the World Science Fiction Society, an unincorporated literary society.