The Porter Prize, established in 1984 by the non-profit organization known as the Porter Fund Literary Prize, is awarded annually to a writer who has created a substantial body of work and has a significant connection with Arkansas. The $5000 prize is one of the most prestigious literary awards in Arkansas. (The non-profit organization also awards a lifetime achievement award every five years and an annual scholarship to a student in the University of Central Arkansas Master of Fine Arts Creative Writing Program.) The Porter Prize was founded in honor of Ben Drew Kimpel.
Recipients 2023 Jay Jennings Fiction 2022 Mark Barr Fiction 2021 Jen Fawkes Fiction 2020 Geffrey Davis Poetry 2019 Qui Nguyen Playwriting 2018 Tyrone Jaeger Fiction 2017 Padma Viswanathan Fiction 2016 Sandy Longhorn Poetry 2015 Davis McCombs Poetry 2014 Mara Leveritt Non-Fiction 2013 Pat Carr Fiction 2012 Margaret Jones Bolsterli Non-Fiction 2011 Bill Harrison Fiction 2010 Bob Ford Playwriting 2009 Roy Reed Non-Fiction 2008 Trenton Lee Stewart Fiction 2007 Greg Brownderville Poetry 2006 Donald "Skip" Hays Fiction 2005 Shirley Abbott Non-Fiction 2005 Constance Merritt Poetry 2004 Michael Burns Poetry 2003 Kevin Brockmeier Fiction 2002 Ralph Burns Poetry 2001 Morris Arnold Non-Fiction 2001 Fleda Brown Poetry 2000 Jo McDougall Poetry 1999 Grif Stockley Fiction 1998 Michael Heffernan Poetry 1997 Dennis Vannatta Fiction 1996 David Jauss Fiction 1995 Norman Lavers Fiction 1994 Werner Trieschmann Playwriting 1993 No Prize was awarded 1992 Andrea Hollander Poetry 1991 Crescent Dragonwagon Fiction 1990 James Twiggs Fiction 1989 Hope Norman Coulter Fiction 1988 Paul Lake Poetry 1987 Donald Harington Fiction 1986 Buddy Nordan Fiction 1985 Leon Stokesbury Poetry
References