The New Academy Prize in Literature was established in 2018 as a response to the controversy surrounding the 2018 Nobel Prize in Literature. It aimed to honor an author for their outstanding contributions to literature, particularly in the wake of the Nobel Committee's decision to postpone the award that year. The prize was awarded by a group of Swedish authors and was open to public voting. The first recipient was Maryse Condé, a French author known for her works exploring themes of identity and culture. The New Academy Prize sought to celebrate literary excellence and promote diverse voices in literature.