For Immediate Release

March 20, 2024 – The Writers' Federation of New Brunswick (WFNB) has announced the shortlisted titles for the 9th annual New Brunswick Book Awards. The winners will be revealed at an awards ceremony on Saturday, June 1, as part of WFNB’s annual WordSpring writing festival in Moncton. The program will celebrate books published in the 2023 calendar year in the poetry, fiction, nonfiction and children’s picture books categories. The finalists are as follows:

Mrs. Dunster’s Award for Fiction
Judge:  Donna Morrissey of Nova Scotia has published seven nationally best-selling novels, plus a memoir, Pluck. She has received awards in Canada, the U.S. and England and her novel, Sylvanus Now was shortlisted for the Commonwealth Prize. Donna’s fiction has been translated into several different languages.

- Valerie Sherrard, Standing on Neptune (DCB Cormorant, 2023), Miramichi

- Lisa Alward, Cocktail (Biblioasis, 2023), Fredericton

- Luke Francis Beirne, Blacklion (Baraka Books, 2023), Saint John

Alice Kitts Memorial Award for Excellence in Children’s Writing
Judge: Deborah Kerbel is the Ontario-based author of over 30 books for young people including 23 picture books. Her work has garnered critical recognition from review journals and award nomination committees including the Governor General’s Literary Award, the Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver Canadian Picture Book Award, and the CLA’s YA Book Award, among others. 

- Braelyn Cyr, Apli’kmuj’s Journey (Monster House Publishing), Campbellton; also illustrated

- Gail Francis, Moonbeam (Monster House Publishing), Miramichi; illustrated by Tara Audibert

- Sara O’Leary, The Little Books of the Litte Brontës (Tundra), St. Martins; illustrated by Briony May Smith

The Fiddlehead Poetry Book Prize
Judge: Bertrand Bickersteth is the author of The Response of Weeds. His poetry has appeared in numerous publications including Geist, The Walrus, and Grain. He is currently working on a collection of poems on Black cowboys. He lives in Moh’kins’tsis (Calgary) and teaches at Olds College, both in Treaty 7 Territory. 

- Matthew Gwathmey, Tumbling for Amateurs (Coach House Books); Fredericton

- Allan Cooper, The Face of Everything (Pottersfield Press); Riverview

- Fawn Parker, Soft Inheritance (Palimpsest Press); Fredericton

Writers’ Federation of New Brunswick Nonfiction Award
Judge: Madhur Anand's debut book of prose This Red Line Goes Straight to Your Heart won the Governor General's Literary Award for Nonfiction. Her two collections of poetry, A New Index for Predicting Catastrophes and Parasitic Oscillations, were both finalists for the Trillium Book Award for Poetry. She is a full professor of ecology and sustainability at the University of Guelph.

- Valerie Sherrard and Natalie Hyde, More than Words: Navigating the Complex World of Communication (DCB Young Readers); Miramichi; illustrated by David Jardine

- Anne Koval, Mary Pratt: A Love Affair with Vision (Goose Lane Publishing); Sackville

- Jason Bell, Cracking the Nazi Code (Harper Collins), Fredericton

The New Brunswick Book Awards are open to traditionally published and self-published authors who have lived in the province for three of the last five years, including the award year.

The awards program is administered by the Writers’ Federation of New Brunswick (WFNB), which for more than 30 years has passionately supported the development of home-grown writers at all stages of development. The live awards ceremony will take place at the Press Club in Moncton on June 1, as part of WFNB’s annual writing festival, WordSpring.

The awards ceremony on June 1 from 6 to 9 pm is a free event, and the public is invited to attend at the Moncton Press Club, 160 Assomption Blvd, Moncton. Hosted by Jonna Brewer, host of CBC’s Information Morning Moncton, the evening will include nibbles and a cash bar, with reception entertainment provided by Chris Colepaugh. The guest speaker for the evening will be Pamela Mullinger, co-publisher of EDIT magazine.

-30-

Media Contacts:
Rhonda Bulmer
info@wfnb.ca
506-974-1476

Goose Lane Editions is looking for an individual with strong visual literacy to join our team as an editorial intern. Working closely with the managing editor and creative director, the editorial intern will focus on the development and production of illustrated titles during a year-long internship.

Candidates should have an appreciation for visual material and an understanding of how text and image complement each other in illustrated books as well as training or education in one of the following areas: an undergraduate degree in the arts or humanities; a certificate or diploma in editing or publishing, or experience in editing or publishing. We’re looking for someone who appreciates art; thrives on the details; enjoys organization, administration, coordination, and collaboration; is deadline driven; and relishes navigating a lot of moving parts. Goose Lane Editions recognizes the importance of the guidance and expertise of Black, Indigenous, and racialized editors; preference will be given to Black, Indigenous, racialized, and minority-language candidates both to increase their representation at Goose Lane Editions and in editorial positions in the publishing industry in Canada.

Full details of the job and application information can be found on Goose Lane’s website: https://gooselane.com/pages/jobs-at-goose-lane

Application Deadline: March 1, 2024

The JL Legacy Fund Mentorship Engagement Program is a participant-driven pilot program that connects a selected group of emerging New Brunswick creatives in film, visual art, photography, music, and theatre with established creative professionals who can provide expert level advice and networking opportunities to help them. With this program, the Fund seeks to identify and support emerging talent with a focus on diversity. This mentorship and guidance program brings together five mentees with their five mentors through in-person and/or digital channels.

The program spans ten months, beginning in March 2024 and running to December 2024. Selected mentees for the program will spend four hours a month with their mentors one-on-one, if approved by the JL Legacy Fund Mentorship Engagement Program. They will also attend specialized virtual workshops which include mental health and networking support with creative specialists. Each accepted mentee will receive $500 when their mentorship is successfully completed. Mentees should apply with a specific project that they are having challenges starting or completing.

If you have questions about the program, email the Jane LeBlanc Legacy Fund for a short consultation: catmaryleblanc@gmail.com

The Jane LeBlanc Legacy Fund is committed to diverse and inclusive representation. We encourage BIPOC, LGBTQIA2S+, and other underrepresented communities to submit to our programs.

Program info here: https://www.canva.com/design/DAF4xDxWa7c/8e7q6XTgU122U4OKwKPQ7Q/view

About the Program
Funded by the Arts and Culture Branch: Strategic Initiatives Fund - Growth Component & Jane LeBlanc Legacy Fund

Cat LeBlanc, President

Jane LeBlanc Legacy Fund

catmaryleblanc@gmail.com

https://www.janeleblanclegacyfund.com

(le français suit)

Montreal, January 15, 2024 – As part of the ongoing public consultation on generative artificial intelligence and copyright, book industry associations are reminding the Canadian government of the crucial importance of regulating the responsible development of artificial intelligence and ensuring effective copyright protection.

The book industry and the entire cultural community emphasize that transparency is essential to the development of a fair and safe AI ecosystem. Otherwise, generative AI models will continue to develop in an opaque, unfair, and undemocratic manner, without respecting the rights of creators. They also stress that copyright is an exclusive right of human creators. Existing copyright legislation protects human creativity and originality, by virtue of requiring the exercise of skill and judgment to obtain copyright in a work. This should not be changed to grant copyright protection to AI generated products or to allow copyrighted works to train models without permission.

Beyond AI: a law that needs reform

For the book industry, Canada needs to move quickly to close existing loopholes in its legislation so that it stops unfairly depriving rights holders of legitimate revenues from the use of works in certain educational institutions. This priority is supported by the Coalition for the Diversity of Cultural Expressions and by the international book federations, all of which are outraged that Canada is not meeting its international obligations to authors.

Following another report from the House of Commons also supporting this priority, the book industry is still waiting for the Minister of Canadian Heritage, Pascale St-Onge, and the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, François-Philippe Champagne, to honour their commitment to amend the Copyright Act so that authors and publishers can receive their fair share of the use of their published works.

Some briefs submitted to the Canadian consultation on AI and copyright are available upon request.

– 30 –

Sources : Access Copyright, Association nationale des éditeurs de livres (ANEL), Association of Canadian Publishers (ACP), Association of English Language Publishers of Quebec (AELAQ), Canadian Authors Association (CAA), Canadian Publishers’ Council (CPC), Copibec , Literary Press Group of Canada (LPG), Regroupement des éditeurs franco-canadiens , Union des écrivaines et des écrivains québécois (UNEQ), The Writers’ Union of Canada

About the Signatory Associations

Access Copyright – Access Copyright is a collective voice of creators and publishers in Canada. A non-profit, national organization, we represent tens of thousands of Canadian writers, visual artists and publishers, and their works. Through agreements with sister organizations around the world we also represent the works of hundreds of thousands of foreign creators and publishers. This rich repertoire of content is highly valued, by educators, students, researchers, corporate employees, and others who need to copy and share content. We license the copying of this repertoire to educational institutions, businesses, governments, and others. The proceeds gathered when content is copied, remixed, and shared are passed along to the copyright-holders. These investments help to ensure the continued creation of new and innovative works.

Contact: Robert Gilbert | Communications Specialist and Affiliate Relations | rgilbert@accesscopyright.ca

Association nationale des éditeurs de livres (ANEL) – The Association nationale des éditeurs de livres (ANEL) brings together the vast majority of French-language publishing houses in Quebec and Canada. Its mission is to support the growth of the publishing industry and ensure the visibility of Quebec and Franco-Canadian books nationally and internationally, particularly by advocating for the respect of copyright. Member publishing houses of the Association publish various types of works, from novels to textbooks, including essays and children's books.

Contact: Audrey Perreault | Director of Communications and Member Services | aperreault@anel.qc.ca | Tel: 514-808-5441

Association of Canadian Publishers (ACP) – The Association of Canadian Publishers contributes to the development and maintenance of vibrant, competitive book publishing companies, professionally managed, and owned and controlled in Canada, to support and strengthen the contribution that Canadian books make to Canada’s cultural, economic, and educational landscape. ACP represents approximately 115 Canadian-owned and controlled book publishers from across the country. The membership is diverse and includes publishers from a variety of genres. Over 80% of Canadian-authored titles are published by the Canadian-owned sector. This means a strong Canadian-owned sector is vital to the development of new Canadian authors and writers.

Contact: Jack Illingworth | Executive Director | jack_illingworth@canbook.org

Association of English-language Publishers of Quebec (AELAQ) – Founded in 1987, the Association of English-language Publishers of Quebec (also known as the Association des éditeurs de langue anglaise du Québec) is a non-profit organization that supports the English-language book industry in Quebec. We represent a dynamic community of 31 members, including publishers of academic and historical books, fiction, narrative, poetry, graphic novels and comics, non-fiction and children's literature. We support and promote our members through a variety of initiatives and projects, including professional development seminars, advocacy, the Montreal Review of Books (mRb) literary magazine and an annual book fair. We are a regional affiliate of the Association of Canadian Publishers, a national network of associations that support and advocate on behalf of Canadian publishers.

Contact: Rebecca West | Executive Director | admin@aelaq.org

Canadian Authors Association (CAA) – The Canadian Authors Association provides writers with a wide variety of programs, services and resources to help them develop their skills in both the craft and the business of writing, enhance their ability to earn a living as a writer, and have access to a Canada-wide network of writers and publishing industry professionals. We are a membership-based organization for writers in all areas of the profession—aspiring, emerging and professional—in every genre and across all writing-related professions. As a not-for-profit national arts service organization with charitable status, much of what we do benefits all writers, whether they are members or are affiliated with us as partners or through other writing groups.

Contact: Brandi Tanner | Directrice administrative |

office@canadianauthors.org

Canadian Publishers’ Council (CPC) – The Canadian Publishers’ Council, as Canada’s main English language book publishing trade association, was founded in 1910 and represents the interests of publishing companies that publish books and other media for elementary and secondary schools, colleges and universities, professional and reference markets, the retail and library sectors. Our members employ more than 2800 Canadians and collectively account for nearly three-quarters of all domestic sales of English-language books. Members spend over $50 million with Canadian-based book manufacturers and pay more than $25 million in royalties to Canada’s writers.

Contact: David Swail | President | dswail@pubcouncil.ca

Copibec – Copibec is the Quebec collective management society for reproduction rights, a non-profit social economy enterprise specialized in copyright management. It represents over 30,000 authors and 1,300 publishing houses. Copibec provides users of copyright-protected material with simple and tailored solutions to meet their needs. On the international scale, the collective management society has agreements with over 33 foreign societies to include books, newspapers, and magazines from these countries in its repertoire. Among its members are UNEQ, ANEL, RAAV, AJIQ, FPQJ, SODEP, Quotidiens du Québec, and Hebdos du Québec.

Contact: Christian Laforce | Executive Director | c.laforce@copibec.ca

Literary Press Group of Canada (LPG) – Founded in 1975, the LPG is a not-for-profit association that represents Canadian-owned and -operated literary book publishers from coast to coast. Our members produce books by some of Canada’s most innovative and creative writers, giving readers access to diverse voices that have not been well represented in mainstream publishing. In addition to their cultural contributions, LPG members are small businesses that support local economies through the full range of their business activities, from editorial, design, and production to marketing, sales, and distribution.

Contact: Laura Rock Gaughan | Executive Director | laurag@lpg.ca

Regroupement des éditeurs franco-canadiens (REFC) – The Regroupement des éditeurs franco-canadiens (REFC) was created to enable French-language publishing houses to undertake concerted actions in the areas of marketing, promotion, representation, and training. It also promotes a partnership-oriented approach by encouraging cooperation among members and key stakeholders in the book ecosystem, thereby ensuring consultation, dialogue, and collaboration with organizations committed to the cultural development of French-speaking communities in Canada.

Contact: Stéphane Cormier | Président | scormier@prisedeparole.ca

Union des écrivaines et des écrivains québécois (UNEQ) – Founded in 1977, the Union des écrivaines et des écrivains québécois (UNEQ) is a professional union dedicated to defending the socio-economic rights of literary artists and promoting Quebec literature. Recognized in 1990 as the most representative association of artists in the field of literature under the Professional Status of Artists in Visual Arts, Crafts, and Literature Act and their contracts with broadcasters (as well as by the 2022 reform) and accredited in 1996 by the Canadian Industrial Relations Board for exclusive negotiation with federally regulated producers, UNEQ currently brings together nearly 1800 members from all literary practices.

Contact: Lucas Prudhomme-Rheault | Communications Manager and Assistant to the General Management | lucas.prudhomme@uneq.qc.ca

The Writers' Union of Canada – The Writers’ Union of Canada (TWUC) is the national organization of professionally published writers. TWUC was founded in 1973 to work with governments, publishers, booksellers, and readers to improve the conditions of Canadian writers. Now over 2,600 members strong, TWUC advocates on behalf of writers’ collective interests, and delivers value to members through advocacy, community, and information. TWUC believes in a thriving, diverse Canadian culture that values and supports writers.

Contact: John Degen | Executive Director | jdegen@writersunion.ca

Communiqué de presse

L’industrie du livre se prononce sur l’intelligence artificielle et le droit d’auteur

Montréal, le 15 janvier 2024 – Dans le cadre de la consultation publique en cours sur l'intelligence artificielle générative et le droit d'auteur, les associations du milieu du livre rappellent au gouvernement canadien l’importance cruciale de favoriser le développement responsable de l’intelligence artificielle et de promouvoir le droit d’auteur.

Le secteur du livre et l’ensemble du milieu culturel soulignent que la transparence est essentielle au développement d’un écosystème d’IA équitable et sûr. Autrement, des modèles d’IA générative vont continuer de se développer de manière opaque, injuste et au mépris de la démocratie. Ils soulignent aussi que le droit d'auteur est un droit exclusif accordé aux créateurs humains. La protection de la créativité et de l'originalité humaines est assurée par la loi sur le droit d'auteur, qui exige des compétences et un jugement pour obtenir le droit d'auteur sur une œuvre. Cela ne devrait pas être modifié pour accorder la protection du droit d’auteur aux produits générés par l’IA ou pour permettre aux œuvres protégées de former des modèles sans autorisation.

Au-delà de l’IA : une loi à parfaire

Pour le secteur du livre, le Canada doit s’empresser de colmater les brèches de sa législation pour qu’elle cesse de priver injustement les ayants-droits de revenus légitimes à l’occasion de l’utilisation d’œuvres dans certains établissements d’enseignement. Sa priorité est soutenue par la Coalition pour la diversité des expressions culturelles et par les fédérations internationales du livre, toutes outrés que le Canada ne respecte pas ses obligations internationales envers les auteurs.

À la suite d’un autre rapport de la Chambre des communes appuyant aussi cette priorité, le milieu du livre attend toujours que la ministre du Patrimoine canadien, Pascale St-Onge, et du ministre de l’Innovation, des Sciences et le l’Industrie, François-Philippe Champagne, honorent leur engagement de modifier la Loi sur le droit d’auteur pour qu’auteurs et éditeurs puissent de nouveau percevoir la juste part de l’utilisation de leurs œuvres publiées.

Quelques mémoires soumis à l’occasion de la consultation canadienne sur l’IA et le droit d’auteur sont disponibles sur demandes.

– 30 –

Sources : Access Copyright, Association nationale des éditeurs de livres (ANEL), Association of Canadian Publishers (ACP), Association des éditeurs de langue anglaise du Québec (AELAQ), Canadian Authors Association (CAA), Canadian Publishers’ Council (CPC), Copibec , Literary Press Group of Canada (LPG), Regroupement des éditeurs franco-canadiens , Union des écrivaines et des écrivains québécois (UNEQ), The Writers’ Union of Canada

À propos

Access Copyright – Access Copyright regroupe des créateurs et des éditeurs au Canada. Organisme national à but non lucratif, il représente des dizaines de milliers d'écrivains, d'artistes visuels et d'éditeurs canadiens et leurs œuvres. Grâce à des accords avec des organisations sœurs du monde entier, il représente également les œuvres de centaines de milliers de créateurs et d'éditeurs étrangers. Son riche répertoire de contenu est très apprécié des professeurs, étudiants, chercheurs, employés d'entreprise et tous ceux qui ont besoin de copier et de partager du contenu. Access Copyright accorde des licences de son répertoire aux établissements d'enseignement, aux entreprises, aux gouvernements, etc. Les bénéfices ainsi récoltés sont reversés aux détenteurs des droits d'auteur, contribuant à garantir la création continue d’œuvres nouvelles et innovantes.

Contact : Robert Gilbert | Spécialiste des communications et des relations avec les affiliés | rgilbert@accesscopyright.ca

Association nationale des éditeurs de livres (ANEL) – L’Association nationale des éditeurs de livres (ANEL) regroupe la grande majorité des maisons d’édition de langue française au Québec et au Canada. Sa mission est de soutenir la croissance de l’industrie de l’édition et d’assurer le rayonnement du livre québécois et franco-canadien à l’échelle nationale et internationale en prônant le respect du droit d’auteur. Les maisons d’édition membres de l’Association publient divers types d’ouvrages, du roman au manuel scolaire en passant par l’essai et le livre jeunesse.

Contact : Audrey Perreault | Directrice des communications et des services

aux membres | aperreault@anel.qc.ca | C: 514-808-5441

Association of Canadian Publishers (ACP) – L’Association of Canadian Publishers contribue au développement et au maintien de maisons d’édition de livres dynamiques et concurrentielles, gérées, détenues et contrôlées par des Canadiens, afin de soutenir et de renforcer la contribution des livres canadiens au paysage culturel, économique et éducatif du Canada. L'ACP représente environ 115 maisons d'édition de livres détenues et contrôlées par des Canadiens à travers le pays. Le membership de l’association est diversifié et comprend des éditeurs de divers genres. Plus de 80 % des titres écrits par des auteurs Canadiens sont publiés par maisons d’édition appartenant à des Canadiens. Un secteur détenu par des Canadiens fort est donc essentiel au développement de nouveaux auteurs et écrivains canadiens.

Contact: Jack Illingworth | Directeur général | jack_illingworth@canbook.org

Association des éditeurs de langue anglaise du Québec (AELAQ) – Fondée en 1987, l’Association (aussi connue sous le nom de l’Association of English-language Publishers of Quebec) est un organisme à but non lucratif qui soutient l’industrie du livre de langue anglaise au Québec. Nous représentons une communauté dynamique de 31 membres, incluant des éditeurs d’ouvrages académiques et historiques, de romans, de récits, de poésie, de romans graphiques et de bandes dessinées, d’ouvrages documentaires et de littérature jeunesse. Nous soutenons et promouvons nos membres par le biais d’une variété d’initiatives et de projets, y compris des séminaires de développement professionnel, notre apport à la défense des intérêts communs, la revue littéraire Montreal Review of Books (mRb) et une foire du livre annuelle. Nous sommes un affilié régional de l’Association of Canadian Publishers, un réseau national d’associations de soutien et de défense des intérêts des éditeurs canadiens.

Contact : Rebecca West | Directrice générale | admin@aelaq.org

Canadian Authors Association (CAA) – La Canadian Authors Association (CAA) offre aux écrivains une grande variété de programmes, de services et de ressources pour les aider à développer leurs compétences tant dans l'art que dans les aspects commerciaux de l'écriture, à améliorer leur capacité à gagner leur vie en tant qu'écrivain et à avoir accès à un réseau pancanadien d'écrivains et de professionnels de l'industrie de l'édition. Nous sommes une organisation basée sur l'adhésion pour les écrivains de tous les domaines de la profession - aspirants, émergents et professionnels - dans tous les genres et à travers toutes les professions liées à l'écriture. En tant qu'organisme de services artistiques national à but non lucratif avec un statut d'organisme de bienfaisance, une grande partie de ce que nous faisons profite à tous les écrivains, qu'ils soient membres ou affiliés à nous en tant que partenaires ou par le biais d'autres groupes d'écriture.

Contact: Brandi Tanner | Directrice administrative |

office@canadianauthors.org

Canadian Publishers’ Council (CPC) – Principale association du commerce de l'édition de livres en anglais au Canada, le Canadian Publishers’ Council, a été fondé en 1910 et représente les intérêts des maisons d'édition qui publient des livres et d'autres supports pour les écoles élémentaires et secondaires, les collèges et universités, les marchés professionnels et de référence, ainsi que les secteurs de la vente au détail et des bibliothèques. Nos membres emploient plus de 2800 Canadiens et représentent collectivement près des trois quarts de toutes les ventes nationales de livres en anglais. Les membres dépensent plus de 50 millions de dollars auprès de fabricants de livres basés au Canada et versent plus de 25 millions de dollars en redevances aux écrivains du Canada.

Contact : David Swail | Président | dswail@pubcouncil.ca

Copibec – Copibec est la société québécoise de gestion collective des droits de reproduction, une entreprise d’économie sociale à but non-lucratif spécialisée en gestion des droits d’auteur. Elle représente plus de 30 000 autrices et auteurs, et 1 300 maisons d’édition. Elle offre aux utilisatrices et aux utilisateurs de matériel protégé par le droit d’auteur des solutions simples et adaptées à leurs besoins. À l’échelle internationale, la société de gestion collective a conclu des ententes avec plus de 33 sociétés étrangères afin d’inclure les livres, journaux et revues de ces pays à son répertoire. Elle compte parmi ses membres l’UNEQ, l’ANEL, le RAAV, l’AJIQ, la FPQJ, la SODEP, les Quotidiens du Québec et les Hebdos du Québec.

Contact : Christian Laforce | Directeur général | c.laforce@copibec.ca

Literary Press Group of Canada (LPG) – Fondée en 1975, le Literary Press group of Canada est une association à but non lucratif qui représente des maisons d'édition de livres littéraires détenues et exploitées par des Canadiens, d'un océan à l'autre. Nos membres publient des ouvrages d'auteurs parmi les plus novateurs et créatifs du Canada, offrant aux lecteurs l'accès à des voix diverses qui n'ont pas été suffisamment représentées dans l'édition grand public. En plus de leurs contributions culturelles, les membres de LPG sont des petites entreprises qui soutiennent les économies locales à travers l'ensemble de leurs activités commerciales, de l'édition, de la conception et de la production au marketing, aux ventes et à la distribution.

Contact : Laura Rock Gaughan | Directrice générale | laurag@lpg.ca

Regroupement des éditeurs franco-canadiens – Le Regroupement des éditeurs franco-canadiens (REFC) a été créé dans le but de permettre aux maisons d’édition francophones de mener des actions concertées dans le domaine de la commercialisation, de la promotion, de la représentation et de la formation. Il favorise également une approche axée sur le partenariat en encourageant la coopération entre les membres et les principaux intervenants de l’écosystème du livre, assurant ainsi la consultation, le dialogue et la collaboration des organismes engagés dans le développement culturel des communautés francophones du Canada.

Contact: Stéphane Cormier | Président | scormier@prisedeparole.ca

Union des écrivaines et des écrivains québécois (UNEQ) – Fondée en 1977, l’Union des écrivaines et des écrivains québécois est un syndicat professionnel qui œuvre à la défense des droits socioéconomiques des artistes de la littérature, ainsi qu’à la valorisation de la littérature québécoise. Reconnue en 1990 comme l’association la plus représentative des artistes du domaine de la littérature en vertu de la Loi sur le statut professionnel des artistes en arts visuels, des métiers d’art et de la littérature et sur leurs contrats avec les diffuseurs (ainsi que par la réforme de 2022) et accréditée en 1996 par le Tribunal canadien des relations professionnelles artistes-producteurs pour négocier, de façon exclusive, avec les producteurs relevant de la compétence fédérale, l’UNEQ regroupe aujourd’hui près de 1800 membres de toutes les pratiques littéraires.

Contact : Lucas Prudhomme-Rheault | Responsable des communications et adjoint à la direction générale | lucas.prudhomme@uneq.qc.ca

The Writers' Union of Canada – La Writers' Union of Canada (TWUC) est l'organisation nationale des écrivains professionnellement publiés. La TWUC a été fondée en 1973 pour collaborer avec les gouvernements, les éditeurs, les libraires et les lecteurs afin d'améliorer les conditions des écrivains canadiens. Forte de plus de 2 600 membres, la TWUC plaide en faveur des intérêts collectifs des écrivains et offre une valeur ajoutée à ses membres grâce à la défense de leurs droits, à la création d'une communauté et le partage d'informations. La TWUC croit en une culture canadienne prospère et diversifiée qui valorise et soutient les écrivains.

Contact : John Degen | Directeur général | jdegen@writersunion.ca

 

Call for Entries

The National Media Awards Foundation is excited to announce we are now accepting submissions for the 47th annual National Magazine Awards! The 2024 National Magazine Awards feature 29 categories, with two special awards, and seven additional categories that are part of a cross-programming initiative with the Digital Publishing Awards.

Submissions are open to Canadian print and digital magazines and to Canadian citizens or Permanent Residents (landed immigrants) whose work has appeared in them during the 2023 calendar year.

Deadlines

Early Bird Deadline: January 12, 2024

Final Submission Deadline: January 19, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. EST

Submit Your Entries

How to Submit

Register online at https://submissions.mediafoundation.ca/login

Review the Rules and Submission Requirements to ensure eligibility

Review the Categories and complete the submission form(s)

Pay the required entry fees

Small Magazine Rebate

The NMAF strives to ensure that the awards recognize the best work from a broad range of Canadian magazines and, to that end, is offering the SECOND ENTRY FREE to magazines whose annual revenue is $200,000 or less. If eligible, your magazine will receive two entries for the price of one. The rebate applies only to the first two entries.

Freelancer Support Fund

To ensure our awards are more accessible to everyone in the industry, we encourage independent writers, illustrators, photographers, and art directors to take advantage of our Freelancer Support Fund, which offers the following discount options on the submission fee:

Submit one entry for $90 (early bird rate $75)

Submit two entries for $125 (early bird rate $110)

Digital Publishing Awards and National Magazine Awards: B2B

Don’t see a category that fits your work? Try the Digital Publishing Awards, where Canadian digital publishers and creators are invited to submit their content to 25 different digital categories. If you’re looking to submit content from trade, professional, or alumni association magazines, be sure to check out the National Magazine Awards: B2B’s 27 unique categories.

With just over a week to 2023 Troubadour International Poetry Prize closing date, here are some details for those poets who might be interested.

Poems on any subject by Sunday 10th December.

Prizes of £2,000, £1,000 & £500, plus 20 commendeds, & a chance to read online alongside judges Mona Arshi & Tom Sleigh, & fellow prize winners, at the fabulous Bedford Park Festival 'Yeats Birthday' event in Chiswick in June '24...

...which will be a superb poetry evening with drinks on the lawn beforehand & your chance to catch up with the poetry world (online too for anyone who can't make the event). Proceeds from this year's prize submissions go towards completing the WB Yeats Bedford Park Artwork project... which has created the dazzlingly Yeatsian artwork & unique Yeats/Bedford-Park smartphone tour that you can see/experience on prizegiving evening, if you've not already done so.

troubadour international poetry prize 2023
(supporting WB Yeats Bedford Park Project, Reg. Charity 1172224)

judged by mona arshi & tom sleigh

• first prize £2,000
• second prize £1,000
• third prize £500
• plus 20 commendeds
• plus – winners & commendeds will be invited to read with judges (live & online) at the Bedford Park Festival ‘Yeats Birthday’ poetry event in June 2024.

poems on any subject
submit via email by sun 10 dec 2023
results announced wed 28 feb 2024

submission rules & payment options on www.coffeehousepoetry.org/prizes

(Check out winners, winning poems & judges’ reports, 2022 & prior, on our previous-winners’-poems page.)

Judges:

• Mona Arshi worked as a Human Rights lawyer at Liberty before starting to write poetry: her collection, Small Hands, won the 2015 Forward Prize, her poems have featured in Poems on the Underground, was recently commissioned to write a programme on The Odyssey for BBC Radio 4’s Book of the Week & she is Visiting Fellow Commoner in Creative Arts at Trinity College, Cambridge. Her latest poetry collection Dear Big Gods (Pavilion Poetry, 2019), was followed by her debut novel, Somebody Loves You, in 2021.

• Tom Sleigh’s ten poetry collections include House of Fact, House of Ruin, Station Zed &, just published, The King’s Touch (Graywolf, Feb 2022): he is the author of the essay collections The Land between Two Rivers & Interview with a Ghost. A Distinguished Professor in the MFA Program at Hunter College (City University of New York), Tom lives in Brooklyn, & during the last ten years, has also worked as a journalist in Syria, Lebanon, Somalia, Kenya, Iraq, & Libya.

judges read all poems submitted

rules

• Poems: Poems may be submitted from any country, may be on any theme, & must be in English, must each be no longer than 45 lines, must show title & poem only, must not show poet’s name, must be the original work of the entrant (no translations) & must not have been previously published; no text alterations accepted after submission; no limit on number of poems or number of subsequent submissions.

• Submission: Email only, no postal entries: email your poems as attachments (.doc, .docx, .pdf, .rtf only) to  poems@coffeehousepoetry.org ; include in email: Poet’s Name & Address, Phone Number, List of Titles, Number of Poems, Total Fees, & PayPal Receipt Number.

• Fees: £6/€7/$8 per poem (Sterling/Euro/US-Dollars only); pay online (see below, PayPal account not required).

• Timeline: Submit by midnight (your local time) on Sun 10 Dec 2023; prize-winners will be contacted in week commencing Mon 19 Feb 2024.

• Acknowledgement/Results: Submissions acknowledged within 14 days of receipt; results posted on website after Mon 28 Feb 2024; judges’ decision is final; no correspondence entered into.

• Email Address: By including email address you agree to receiving emails regarding annual Troubadour International Poetry Prize.

All proceeds from this year’s poetry prize go to ongoing development at the recently unveiled/launched Yeats #EnwroughtLight artwork & visitor experience (details here) celebrating Yeats’s Nobel-Prize Centenary 1923-2023: closing date for submissions is Sunday 10th December, the date on which Yeats received his Nobel Prize for Literature in Stockholm!

For immediate release

Moncton, NB, November 24, 2023- The 2024 annual New Brunswick Writing Competition judges have been selected, and they will review submitted unpublished manuscripts from New Brunswick writers between January 1 and March 31, 2024. The program celebrates eight categories of unpublished writing in the genre of story collection/novel, short story, single poem, poetry manuscript, books for young people, and stories by teens, as well as unpublished short film script, and narrative non-fiction.

The competition is open to all New Brunswickers. If you live outside of New Brunswick, you must be Writers' Federation of New Brunswick member to participate.

The judges for 2024 are as follows:

The David Adams Richards Prize for Fiction Manuscript – Trudy J. Morgan

(15,000 to 30,000 words - Individual stories in a collection can be previously published, but a novella or novel extract must be unpublished. First Prize $400, Second Prize $200, Third Prize 1 year WFNB membership)

Trudy J. Morgan is a writer and educator in St. John's, Newfoundland. She is the author of numerous works of historical fiction including By the Rivers of Brooklyn, Most Anything You Please, and A Sudden Sun. Her latest work, the Cupids Trilogy (A Roll of the Bones, Such Miracles and Mischiefs, A Company of Rogues), is a fictional exploration of the earliest English settlements on the island of Newfoundland. Trudy's particular interest is in uncovering and re-imagining the lost and silenced voices of women in history.

The Douglas Kyle Memorial Prize for Short Fiction – Willow Kean

(Single story - 2,000 to 4,000 words. First Prize $250, Second Prize $150, Third Prize 1 year WFNB membership)

Willow Kean Willow Kean is an actor and writer from Labrador West who now resides in St. John’s. She holds a BFA in theatre from Grenfell College and has spent over twenty years working for several theatre companies across Newfoundland and Labrador. Her work on film includes The Death of Winter, Hard Light, Away From Everywhere, and The King Tide. While living in South Korea, Willow was employed as a teacher, voice recording artist, and writer, researching and writing biographies and historical fiction for ESL students of all ages. She started writing collaboratively for the theatre in 2009 and has had several children’s theatre productions tour schools around the province. Willow’s five-woman comedy Supper Club was developed and workshopped with Resource Centre for the Arts Theatre and was selected for the Playwrights Atlantic Resource Centre (PARC) Colony in Sackville, New Brunswick, held virtually over a two-week period in May of 2020. Supper Club premiered in St. John’s at the LSPU Hall in November of 2021, and completed an island-wide Arts and Culture Centre provincial tour this past fall. She’s won NL Arts and Letters awards in both fiction and non-fiction, been shortlisted for the Cuffer Prize, the WANL Postcard Story Contest, and most recently was longlisted for the 2022 NLCU Fresh Fish Award. Willow was the recipient of the 2016 Rhonda Payne Theatre Award, and in 2018 she won the Percy Janes First Novel Award. Her novel, Eyes in Front When Running, was published by Breakwater Books in June of 2023. Willow gets angry, cooks, and writes about it at thelittleredchicken.substack.com.

The Alfred G. Bailey Prize for Poetry Manuscript – Susan Gillis

(48 to 96 pages - Individual poems can be previously published, but the manuscript must be unpublished. First Prize $350, Second Prize $200, Third Prize one year WFNB membership)

Susan Gillis has lived on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts and along the St. Lawrence River, and now makes her home near Perth in eastern Ontario. Her most recent book, Yellow Crane (Brick 2018), is a meditation on ecologies of place, writing, and desire. Volta, her second book, was awarded the AM Klein Prize for Poetry; her other books have been finalists for awards from  the Quebec Writers Federation, the Association for Studies in Literature and the Environment, Relit and the League of Canadian Poets. Her work has been featured in Best Canadian Poetry, Juniper, The Fiddlehead, Grain, and other journals in print and online. A member of the collaborative group Yoko’s Dogs, Susan also works as a poetry editor and mentor.

The Quantiphi Books for Young People Award - Lorna Schultz Nicholson

(Short stories or poems written for young people - children’s, middle grade or YA - up to 4,500 words. First Prize $200, Second Prize $100, Third Prize one-year WFNB membership)

Lorna Schultz Nicholson is full-time writer who divides her time between Edmonton, Alberta and Penticton, British Columbia. She has published children’s picture books, middle grade fiction, YA fiction and non-fiction sports books. Lorna’s books are about family, friendships, and, well, the ups and downs of life. We all have those, right? They are also diverse, featuring many different characters. Many of her books are about sports, (yes, hockey), so she can answer a lot of questions about that too. Of course, she loves talking about writing and her process, and she loves giving tips to students on how they can make their writing better. Lorna is a lively presenter and has been in schools across Canada. She loves instilling her love of reading and writing to any grade. 

The Dawn Watson prize for Single Poem – Jeanette Lynes.

(Single poem, up to 100 lines. First Prize $200, Second Prize $100, Third Prize one-year WFNB membership)

Jeanette Lynes Jeanette Lynes is the author of seven books of poetry and three novels. Her third novel, The Apothecary’s Garden (HarperCollins Canada, 2022) was a finalist for a High Plains Book Award and two Saskatchewan Book Awards. Jeanette’s fourth novel is forthcoming from HarperCollins Canada in 2025. Jeanette’s personal essays, Apron Apocalypse, won the John V. Hicks manuscript competition in 2023. Jeanette’s most recent poetry book, Bedlam Cowslip: The John Clare Poems (Wolsak and Wynn/Buckrider Books) won the 2016 Saskatchewan Arts Board Poetry Award. Jeanette directs the MFA in Writing at the University of Saskatchewan.

The Sheree Fitch Prize for Teen Writers – Jay McGrath

(Short story - 400 words, or poem - up to 100 lines, written by teens age 13 to 18. First Prize $100, Second Prize $50, Third Prize one-year WFNB membership)

Jay McGrath is an emerging author, originally from Branch, NL and currently resides in Mount Pearl, NL. Born into a community of storytellers, Jay has been putting pen to paper his whole life and enjoys writing speculative fiction. He holds an Arts Degree with a double major in English and History, as well as, a Business Degree from Memorial University. He also completed his Master of Arts in History. His debut novel, We’d Rather Fight Than Eat is available through Flanker Press. His second novel is due out in Fall 2024. He is one of the hosts of the Writer’s NL podcast Inkpod. You can follow his Author Page on Facebook – Jay McGrath, Writer.

The narrative nonfiction prize - Shelly Kawaja

(Narrative nonfiction prose - 1,500 to 3,000 words. First Prize $200, Second Prize $100, Third Prize 1 year WFNB membership)

Shelly Kawaja won the 2022 BMO Winterset Award for her debut novel, The Raw Light of Morning. Her work can also be found in Riddle Fence, Horseshoe Literary Magazine, The Humber Literary Review and The Dalhousie Review. She was longlisted for the Bridge Prize, the Fresh Fish Award, and won the GritLIT 2020 short fiction contest. Shelly teaches creative writing at Memorial University’s Corner Brook campus and is the Fiction Reviews Editor at The Artisanal Writer Magazine. She’s a graduate of UBC’s MFA program, The Humber School for Writers and Memorial University of Newfoundland. She lives in Corner Brook with her family.

The Jane LeBlanc Screenwriting Award – Carlos Anthony

(Short Film Scripts (up to 15 minutes in length), Unproduced or produced accepted. Must have been written within the last two years. First Prize $500, Second prize, $150, Third Prize, one-year WFNB membership.)

Carlos Anthony is a filmmaker and author who writes about the experiences that Black men have historically avoided talking about. He has been recognized for his video web series, short story series, published essays, and short films that explore the themes of Black adolescence, fatherhood, fidelity, provision and work ethic, healthy relationships, sex and intimacy, overcoming addiction, and abuse. Shades of Black, his first novel, was published in April, 2023. With his wife and children, Carlos lives in Windsor, Ontario. 

-30-

MORE THAN WORDS: Navigating the Complex World of Communication. 

Valerie Sherrard and Natalie Hyde invite you to join them on NOVEMBER 15 as they launch their new non-fiction title for middle grades. With a look at non-verbal communication, listening skills, speaking effectively, critical thinking, conflict resolution, and more, the content in MTW is supported by activities at each chapter's end, and fun artwork from David Jardine. 

Friends, family, teachers (along with their classes) ALL are welcome to join us! 

Register here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/746340403237?aff=oddtdtcreator 

The Canadian Artists Network, the voice of Canada's experienced professional artists, will present its annual virtual conference Maintaining Creativity 8 from October 30-November 3, 2023 with three chapters on the theme Artists as Agents of Change. 

The Maintaining Creativity 8 conference will explore a different aspect of Artists as Agents of Change in each two-hour chapter with moderators including Laurie Brown, Steven Loft, and Garry Neil. This annual conference is an online gathering place for professional artists of all disciplines in Canada to come together to examine new ideas for innovation, support, and craft.

Maintaining Creativity 8 is presented free of charge, with registration now open at https://www.csarn.ca/conference/. Participating panelists will be announced in the coming weeks.

Chapter One
Women Warriors for Change

Monday, October 30^th at 1pm Eastern time

What does it mean for an artist to be a warrior? Starting something that needed starting? Stopping something that never should have started in the first place? An artist who works to change the system? For moderator Laurie Brown, being a warrior means searching, exploring until we find authenticity, honesty, purpose and meaning coming together. Broadcaster, writer, journalist Laurie Brown will dig deeply into the topic of Women Warriors with three remarkable guests. 

Chapter Two
Inclusion: Where Are We?
Wednesday, November 1^st at 1pm Eastern time

Canadian artists from diverse communities have been at the forefront of issues involving equity, representation and inclusion. Much has happened and a lot still needs to happen. Where are we when it comes to social justice in the arts and beyond, in the areas of race, reconciliation with Indigenous communities, gender, sexual orientation, and people with disabilities? What are the most effective ways to be an ally for these communities? What is the role of artists in mobilizing their own community and the wider community? What role can/do arts institutions play? Does ageism fit into this discussion?

Inclusion: Where Are We? will be moderated by Steven Loft, Vice-President, Department of Indigenous Ways and Decolonization at the National Gallery of Canada.

Chapter Three
The Original Gig Workers: Strategies Towards Economic Stability
Friday, November 3^rd at 1pm Eastern time

Artists are fundamental to society, but they are the original gig workers. The median income of professional artists is 44 per cent lower than that of all workers; many earn less than the poverty line. Thirty years after the Status of the Artist Act was adopted, have we made any progress? What more needs to be done? 

The Original Gig Workers moderator will be Garry Neil, whose 40-year-career in arts and culture policy includes the 2005 UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions.

For more information visit: www.csarn.ca/conference.

The Canadian Artists Network (CAN, formerly CSARN) is the voice of Canada's elder professional artists across all disciplines. CAN offers programs and services that enable artists to remain relevant, connected, informed, and motivated. Artists don't retire. Their creativity and skills do not diminish with age. Creativity Lives Forever. The Canadian Artists Network is committed to raising awareness of the value of these artists as resources for the future and role models for emerging talent. CAN is dedicated to supporting, celebrating, and inspiring these senior artistic voices through its advocacy work and programs.

October 19, 2023

Several key cultural industry associations and groups met recently to discuss the state of the arts and culture sector in NB. As important voices advocating for the arts and culture sector, we submit these insights and recommendations to further strengthen and support the vital contributions made by this sector.

It is time to recognize the importance of arts and culture in New Brunswick.

In 2021 — despite a 5% workforce decline from 2020 — New Brunswick’s arts and culture sector employed 7,050 people and contributed $578 million to the province's GDP. Recovery from the pandemic remains a challenge, with fewer organizations and businesses from 2020 to 2022.

Inflation has raised costs by over 16% since 2019, impacting the ability of cultural organizations to fulfill their essential role within the sector's framework. The foundation of the cultural ecosystem is made up of community centres, festival organizers, art spaces, and other cultural assets. Arts organizations offer funding for creation, distribution, and presentation, as well as for training and employment of artists, and a place for artists and the public to assemble, study, explore, and develop as a community.

The Arts and Culture Branch of the Department of Tourism, Heritage, and Culture faces severe underfunding, making it difficult to meet the sector's needs. We urge the government to recognize the value of investing in arts and culture in order to sustain and grow these essential contributions to our society and economy.

We recommend a minimum investment of $25M in arts and culture for the 2024-25 Provincial Budget, including the following:

Increase the Core Support Programs by $2.5M for cultural organizations’ base funding.

Allocate $2.5M to support festivals, including Arts in Communities and the Invitation Festival Fund.

Boost the Music Industry Development Program (MID) by $460,000.

Provide an additional $2M to the New Brunswick Arts Board through the Arts Development Trust Fund.

Allocate funding towards the local governance reform project to develop and implement new municipal cultural strategies.

Uphold the commitment to the Film, Television, and New Media Industries by increasing film industry funding by $5M to reach the 2025 target.

Your leadership in bringing these recommendations to the forefront will pave the way for a brighter future for all New Brunswickers and our economy. We are ready to discuss these proposals with you and explore collaborative initiatives and solutions toward implementing positive change and prosperity.

Thank you for your time and commitment to our province’s arts and culture sector.

***

19 octobre 2023

Plusieurs associations et groupes clés de l'industrie culturelle se sont réunis récemment pour discuter de l'état du secteur des arts et de la culture au N.-B. En tant que représentant.e.s de ces associations et groupes, nous soumettons ces réflexions et ces recommandations à votre gouvernement dans le but de renforcer et de soutenir convenablement les contributions inestimables de ce secteur.

Il est temps de reconnaître l'importance des arts et de la culture au Nouveau-Brunswick.

En 2021, malgré un recul de 5 % de l'emploi depuis 2020, le secteur des arts et de la culture du Nouveau-Brunswick employait 7 050 personnes et contribuait au PIB de la province pour un montant de 578 millions de dollars. La relance après la pandémie reste un défi, avec moins d'organismes et d'entreprises de 2020 à 2022.

L'inflation a fait augmenter les coûts de plus de 16 % depuis 2019. Cela a eu un impact sur la capacité des organismes culturels à remplir leur rôle essentiel dans le cadre du secteur. Le fondement de l'écosystème culturel est constitué de groupes artistiques: centres communautaires, organisations de festivals, espaces artistiques et autres biens culturels. Les organismes artistiques fournissent des fonds pour la création, la distribution, la présentation, la formation et l'emploi des artistes, ainsi qu'un lieu où les artistes et le public peuvent se rassembler, étudier, explorer et grandir en communauté.

La section des arts et de la culture du ministère du Tourisme, du Patrimoine et de la Culture souffre d'un grave sous-financement, ce qui l'empêche de répondre aux besoins du secteur. Nous plaidons pour des investissements significatifs afin de soutenir et de développer ce secteur essentiel qui contribue grandement à notre société et à notre économie.

Nous recommandons un investissement minimum de 25 millions de dollars dans les arts et la culture pour le budget provincial 2024-25, qui comprend ce qui suit :

Augmenter le Programme de soutien de base de 2,5 millions de dollars afin de fournir un financement de base aux organismes culturels.

Allouer 2,5 millions de dollars pour soutenir les festivals, notamment le Programme des arts dans les communautés et le Fonds pour les festivals «l'Invitation».

Augmenter le Programme de développement de l'industrie de la musique (DIM) de 600 000 dollars.

Fournir 2 millions de dollars supplémentaires au Conseil des arts du Nouveau-Brunswick par le biais du Fonds en fiducie pour l'avancement des Arts.

Allouer des fonds au projet de réforme de la gouvernance locale afin d'élaborer et de mettre en œuvre de nouvelles stratégies culturelles municipales.

Respecter l'engagement pris à l'égard du Programme de soutien à l'industrie du film, et de la télévision et des nouveaux médias en augmentant le financement de l'industrie cinématographique de 5 millions de dollars pour atteindre l'objectif de 2025.

Le leadership dont vous ferez preuve en mettant en avant ces recommandations ouvrira la voie à un avenir meilleur pour tous les gens du Nouveau-Brunswick et pour notre économie. Nous sommes prêts à discuter de ces propositions avec vous et à explorer des initiatives et des solutions de collaboration pour mettre en œuvre des changements positifs et favoriser la prospérité.

Nous vous remercions de votre temps et de votre engagement envers le secteur des arts et de la culture de notre province.

Participating Organizations/Les organisations participantes : ArtsLink NB, CraftNB, Creating Access, Mawi’art: Wabanaki Artist Collective, Media NB, Music•Musique NB, NB Arts Centre Association INC / Association des centres des arts du NB INC., RADARTS inc.