Interlochen announces shortlist for the 2026 Pattis Family Foundation Creative Arts Book Award

INTERLOCHEN, Mich.-Interlochen has announced the shortlist for the 2026 Pattis Family Foundation Creative Arts Book Award, a $25,000 prize that recognizes the best books exploring the creative process. The winner and runners up will be announced in December.

The shortlisted works, listed alphabetically by title, are:

1. The Avian Hourglass by Lindsey Drager, Dzanc Books
2. The Maestro and Her Protégé by Kate Whouley, Independent Publishers Group
3. Not Your China Doll: the Shimmering Life of Anna May Wong by Katie Gee Salisbury, Penguin Random House
4. The Painter's Fire: A Forgotten History of the Artists Who Championed the American Revolution by Zara Anishanslin, Harvard University Press
5. Racebook: A Personal History of the Internet by Tochi Onyebuchi, Grove Atlantic

"The selection committee was delighted by the breadth, imagination, and outstanding quality of this year's submissions," said Selection Committee Chair and Interlochen Arts Academy Dean of Academics and Interdisciplinary learning Eric Blackburn. "The five books that make up our Shortlist reflect a wonderful diversity of subjects, perspectives, and creative approaches, each offering something distinctive and compelling. Together, they showcase the richness of creative expression and the many ways it can inform, inspire, and enrich our understanding of the world."

The award-winner of the 2026 Pattis Family Foundation Creative Arts Book Award will receive a $25,000 cash prize and participate in a 2-3 day residency at Interlochen Center for the Arts in April 2027. The scope and nature of this engagement will be created to suit the award winner. During the residency, the author will take part in an awards ceremony and a public event, co-sponsored by Traverse City's National Writers Series , on April 7, at 7pm, at The Alluvion. Among other residency activities are a presentation to the Interlochen Arts Academy community, master classes, and an interview with Interlochen Public Radio.

Last year's 2025 winner was Inside the Mirror: A Novel by Parul Kapur , a reflection of her experiences of global travel and exploration, while honoring her own family and heritage. She was awarded a cash prize, conducted a multi-day residency at Interlochen Arts Academy, and took part in a public event moderated by New York Times best-selling author Doug Stanton as part of Traverse City's National Writers Series. 2025 runners-up were Dreams in Double Time: On Race, Freedom, and Bebop by Jonathan Leal and My Life in Paper: Adventures in Ephemera by Beth Kephart.

Established by The Pattis Family Foundation in October 2023, The Pattis Family Foundation Creative Arts Book Award honors fiction or nonfiction books that inspire, illuminate, or exemplify the creative process in fields such as creative writing, dance, film and new media, music, theatre, and visual arts. To learn more about the award, including eligibility requirements and selection criteria, visit https://www.interlochen.org/pattis .

About The Pattis Family Foundation
With a history originating from book and magazine publishing, The Pattis Family Foundation of Highland Park, Illinois actively supports programs that elevate the value of the written word and intellectual inquiry. In addition to The Pattis Family Foundation Creative Arts Book Award at Interlochen, The Pattis Family Foundation Chicago Book Award is awarded annually with The Newberry Library and The Pattis Family Foundation Global Cities Award is awarded annually in association with Metropolis. Similar book awards in partnership with other leading organizations and other subject areas will be announced in the future. The Pattis Family Foundation also supports various health, educational, and cultural initiatives as well as programs that help bridge the opportunity gap for talented students with limited financial resources. For more, visit https://www.thepattisfamilyfoundation.org .

About Interlochen Center for the Arts

The nonprofit Interlochen Center for the Arts is a recipient of the National Medal of Arts and the only organization in the world that brings together a 3,400-student summer camp program; a 575-student fine arts boarding high school; opportunities for hundreds of adults to engage in fulfilling artistic and creative programs; two 24-hour listener-supported public radio services (classical music and news); more than 600 arts presentations annually by students, faculty and world-renowned guest artists; and a global alumni base spanning nine decades, including leaders in the arts and all other endeavors. For information, visit Interlochen online at www.interlochen.org .

About the National Writers Series

Founded in 2010, the National Writers Series is a year-round book festival that has hosted more than 250 authors in Traverse City, Michigan, including New York Times bestselling authors, MacArthur "Genius Grant" winners, and National Book Award and Pulitzer Prize winners. Most events take place in the gorgeous, historic Traverse City Opera House. Find out more at https://nationalwritersseries.org/ .

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