RBC Bronwen Wallace Award for Emerging Writers

RBC Bronwen Wallace Award for Emerging Writers

The RBC Bronwen Wallace Award for Emerging Writers, awarded by the WRITERS' TRUST OF CANADA, is given annually to a writer under the age of 35. The award alternates each year between short fiction and poetry. The winner, selected by an independent, three-person judging panel, receives $5000 and two finalists receive $1000.

The award was established by poet Carolyn Smart in 1994 in memory of her friend Bronwen WALLACE, author of 5 collections of poetry and a collection of short stories. Wallace was a mentor to many young writers and a creative writing teacher at St. Lawrence College and QUEEN'S UNIVERSITY in Kingston, Ont. She died in 1989 at the age of 44.

To be eligible, a writer must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, under the age of 35, unpublished in book form and without a book contract, but whose poetry or prose has appeared in at least one independently edited literary magazine, journal or anthology.

The RBC Bronwen Wallace Award for Emerging Writers is supported by the RBC Foundation through the RBC Emerging Artists Project, which supports talented young adults in their development of professional careers in the arts.

Past winners in the poetry category include Michael CRUMMEY, Alison Pick, Jeramy Dodds and Emily McGiffin. Winners in the short fiction category include Alissa York, Gillian Best, Marjorie Celona and Kilby Smith-McGregor.