The Pragnell Shakespeare Award
Introduced in 1990, the Pragnell Shakespeare Birthday Award is an international award funded by George Pragnell the Jeweller of Stratford upon Avon. It is presented annually on the occasion of the Shakespeare Birthday Celebrations luncheon in Stratford-upon-Avon.
The award recognises 'outstanding achievement in extending the appreciation and enjoyment of the works of William Shakespeare and in the general advancement of Shakespearian knowledge and understanding.'
Anyone working in any field of Shakespearian endeavour, including theatre, criticism, or in Shakespearian scholarship is eligible. An individual who has achieved notable success in this field in the past year or so qualifies or the award can be made in recognition of sustained achievements.
The event coincides with the Shakespeare Birthday Celebrations for the anniversary of the playwright's birth in 1564. The Shakespeare Birthday Celebrations remain one of the few engagements for the Diplomatic corps outside London.
