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 and vote for candidates for the Awards. These Awards are decided by the fans, not by a committee.

    Winners of the 2008 Ursa Major Awards!
Check out who won the Ursa Majors for 2008 presented at All Fur Fun in Spokane, Washington, on May 16, 2009.

    Recommendations for inclusion in the 2009 Recommended Anthropomorphics List are now closed.

Nominations for the 2009 are now open! Go to the Nominations page for details.

    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 ALAA will exclude from the Recommended Anthropomorphics List, and from contention for an Ursa Major Award, any works it deems to be obscene, libelous, or otherwise detrimental to the integrity and good standing of the Ursa Major Awards and the anthropomorphics fandom that those awards represent. For example: Works of a predominantly sexual nature, or which include explicit sexual situations involving characters which may be underage or non-anthropomorphic animals.

    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.

    Watch out for SIG meetings at major anthropomorphic conventions!
 

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