2025 Mentorship Program – Call for Applications
The Mentorship Program is an initiative of the Writers’ Guild of Alberta designed to help promising emerging writers make the transition to the next stage of their careers. The program will take place from January through April 2025.
We will accept up to seven apprentices to work with mentors this year, including one pairing for the Mary Bell Mentorship Scholarship, (awarded to an emerging woman writer 50 years of age or older), and one pairing supported by the Sharon L. Henderson Fund for Young and Emerging Writers.
Two spots will also be reserved specifically for BIPOC writers.
The program is intended to meet the needs of emerging Alberta writers for guidance, collaboration and encouragement. This is not an introductory creative writing course; it is a one-on-one pairing of apprentices and mentors. The program is an intensive, hands-on opportunity intended to provide a disciplined and focused period of work for emerging writers.
Both mentors and apprentices will be selected by an independent jury. Apprentices will be selected before mentors. There is no guarantee that all genres will be included in the final pairings. Decisions for the mentor applications will be made on the basis of the best match between apprentice and mentor. Individuals who have participated in this program as mentors in the previous year (2024 program) are not eligible to apply.
Deadline: Applications must be received by 4:30 pm Friday, October 25, 2024.
Successful applicants will be notified in November 2024.
The Writers’ Guild of Alberts is committed to equity and inclusion in its programs and encourages applications from First Nations, Inuit and Métis individuals.
Apprentice Application
Applications for the Mentorship Program are now closed.
Mentor Application
Applications for the 2025 Mentorship Program are now closed.
Our Gratitude
The WGA gratefully acknowledges the support of the RBC Foundation, Canada Council for the Arts, Alberta Foundation for the Arts, Government of Alberta, City of Edmonton, City of Calgary, Calgary Arts Development, Edmonton Arts Council, and the John Gillese Fund.
The WGA is also grateful for mentorship program donations from: Sheila Birmingham, Jim Conley, Charlotte Corothers, Karen Farkas, Marilyn Fleger, Marilyn Fleger, Ann Goldblatt, Jacqueline Guest, Brenda Gunn, Lois Hammond, Greg Hickmore, Marlene Kadar, Richard and Beatrice Kerr, Kathy King, Mary Anne King, Jo-Ann Kolmes, Gregory Koop, Deborah and Steve Leighton, Jock Mackenzie, Margaret Macpherson, Brenda-Ann Marks, Kerry McKinnon, Joan McMillan, Kerry Mitchell, Taryn Pawluk, Sandy Romanow, L. Deborah Sword, Monica Walker, Marlyn Wall, Moira D Wiley, Johanna Wishart, and Marjorie Zelent.