A Brief Year-by-Year History.

2009 – The Beginning.
Date: 19 June 2009
Location: The Magic Circle, London
The inaugural David Gemmell Award ceremony took place at the Magic Circle headquarters. The award was created to honour David Gemmell following his death in 2006, with Deborah Miller playing a central role in bringing the project to life. Key moments included the launch of the Legend Award, the introduction of the handcrafted Snaga trophy created by Simon Fearnhamm of Raven Armoury, readings from Gemmell’s work, and the attendance of David Gemmell’s children Kate and Luke.

2010 – Expansion and Recognition.
Date: 18 June 2010
Location: The Magic Circle, London
The awards expanded significantly with the introduction of two new categories: the Morningstar Award for Best Fantasy Debut and the Ravenheart Award for Best Fantasy Cover Art. The new categories were announced earlier in the year at the SFX Weekender, while SFX became the awards’ official media partner.

2011 – International Growth.
Date: 17 June 2011
Location: The Magic Circle, London
The awards continued to grow in stature and attracted international participation from across Europe and North America. The established traditions of public voting, charity auctions and readings from Gemmell’s novels became central elements of the annual ceremony.

2012 – A Pivotal Year.
Date: 15 June 2012
Location: The Magic Circle, London
The awards remained at the Magic Circle for a fifth consecutive year. During the ceremony it was announced that the 2013 awards would be staged at the World Fantasy Convention in Brighton. Deborah Miller continued to be a driving force behind the organisation.

2013 – Loss and New Beginnings.
Date: 31 October 2013
Location: World Fantasy Convention, Brighton
This was one of the most significant and emotional years in the awards’ history. Deborah Miller passed away in May 2013 following a long battle with cancer, and the ceremony paid tribute to her extraordinary contribution. The awards also moved away from the Magic Circle for the first time. The first Legends anthology, edited by Ian Whates and published by NewCon Press, was launched immediately after the ceremony and helped provide financial support for the awards.

2014 – Return Home and a New Ravenheart Trophy.
Date: 13 June 2014
Location: The Magic Circle, London
The awards returned to the Magic Circle. A completely redesigned Ravenheart trophy, created by artist Lee Blair, was introduced. The new sculpture depicted Druss atop the walls of Dros Delnoch and became one of the most distinctive trophies associated with the awards. Plans for the second Legends anthology were also announced.

2015 – New Venue and New Morningstar Trophy.
Date: 8 August 2015
Location: Nine Worlds Geekfest, Heathrow, London
The awards moved to Nine Worlds Geekfest and introduced a redesigned Morningstar trophy, again created by Lee Blair. This completed the transformation of all three award trophies into unique pieces closely associated with the Gemmell legacy. Legends 2 continued to support the awards through associated launches and signings.

2016 – Fantasycon and Legends 3.
Date: 24 September 2016
Location: Fantasycon, Scarborough
Hosted at Fantasycon in Scarborough, the ceremony featured updates on the forthcoming Legends 3 anthology from Ian Whates. Andy Remic entertained attendees with stories of his correspondence and friendship with David Gemmell, while a delayed arrival of the Snaga trophy created a memorable last-minute drama.

2017 – Edge-Lit and the Travelling Awards.
Date: 15 July 2017
Location: Edge-Lit 6, Derby
The awards continued their travelling era with a successful appearance at Edge-Lit in Derby. The ceremony maintained its established traditions of readings, charity auctions and guest presenters while introducing the awards to a new audience.

2018 – The Final Ceremony.
Date: 14 July 2018
Location: Edge-Lit 7, Derby
The tenth and final presentation of the David Gemmell Awards for Fantasy took place at Edge-Lit. Highlights included an interview with Conn Iggulden discussing Gemmell’s influence on writers, a panel celebrating David Gemmell’s life and legacy, and the final presentation of the Snaga trophy. Although the awards concluded in 2018, their legacy continued through the publication of Legends 3 in 2019 and through their enduring influence on the fantasy community.