News

The Writers’ Guild of Alberta is excited to announce the finalists for the 2026 Alberta Literary Awards. The Alberta Literary Awards were created by the Writers’ Guild of Alberta in 1982 to recognize excellence in writing by Alberta authors. Entries are judged by an independent jury recruited by the WGA. The winners will be announced at our Awards Gala Dinner on June 5, 2026 and you can get your tickets here. All finalists will receive two tickets for themselves and

Beginning in June 2026, the Annual General Meeting will be held online only. This year’s AGM will take place on Monday, June 22 at 7:00 PM MT. Registration details, agenda, and other materials will be distributed to all members via email in May. Why change? In the past the AGM has been a hybrid event, with most attendees participating in-person at the annual conference in June. At our January meeting, the WGA’s Board of Directors voted unanimously to change the

Deadline: May 11, 2026 The WGA would love to feature your response in WestWord, our members-only magazine that publishes quarterly with articles, features, and upcoming events across Alberta. Members who are logged in can view our current and past issues. Question: Have you returned to writing after a hiatus? Please send your answers (100 words or less) to: Raymond Gariépy at [email protected] by May 11, 2026 for inclusion in the Summer Issue. In the heading, write“Question to Members.”

Remembering Dr. Nhung Tran-Davies We were saddened to hear about the passing of author, philanthropist, and longtime Writers’ Guild of Alberta member Dr. Nhung Tran-Davies. Nhung arrived in Canada as a child refugee of the Vietnam War in 1979 with her mother and five siblings. She grew up with a passion for science, and went on to complete medical school at the University of Alberta. Nhung lived and worked as a doctor in Calmar, Alberta with her husband Grant Davies,

Back a Bursary for WordsWorth Youth Writing Summer Camp Fundraising Goal: $4000.00 The WGA is calling on our community to back a bursary today! WordsWorth 2026: Mythsmiths takes place over two weeks this July at Red Deer Polytechnic.Week 1: July 19-24, 2026 (Ages 11-14)Week 2: July 26-31, 2026 (Ages 15-19) Donate through canadaHelps hereDonate through our website here Each year the WGA offers partial or full bursaries to reduce the cost of registration to send youth to WordsWorth, our screen-free

With membership growing each year, the WGA is looking for some final-stretch sponsors to help us host our annual Conference and Gala. We are seeking: Depending on your contribution level, sponsors can receive: And our gratitude for your support! Variations of our sponsor arrangements can be made. Contact [email protected] to connect with our sponsorship team.

April 21, 2026 The WGA stands with the Coalition of Alberta’s Public Libraries (CAP Libraries) in condemning Bill 28, an act that seeks to amend Alberta’s Libraries Act in order to restrict Albertans’ access to library materials and services the government deems “inappropriate.” As did the ministerial order regarding school libraries, this unnecessary piece of legislation has the potential to have far-reaching impacts that represent an unjustified restriction on every Albertan’s constitutional right to intellectual freedom and freedom of expression.

2026 WGA Board nominations are now open! Deadline for Advanced Nominations: May 20, 2026Elections at AGM: June 22, 2026 (online) Are you or someone you know interested in playing a strategic role in shaping the future of the WGA or looking for a volunteer opportunity to contribute to Alberta’s writing community? Please consider joining or nominating a colleague to the WGA Board of Directors. The WGA Board of Directors sets the vision, mission, and strategic goals of the WGA and

WGA Pub Night PowerPoint Presentation Pitches Due: May 1, 2026 5 minute presentations on: May 20, 20267:00 PM – 9:00 PM MT Rooster Kitchen & BarEdmonton This is a Free event Do you have a hot take or a presentation with visual aids that you’re dying to share with an audience? Do you have a hidden talent, secret hobby, or a topic that needs to be unpacked with the use of a projector and 100 inch screen? Then May’s WGA

March 13, 2026: Thanks to research by the Centre for Free Expression and the CBC, Albertans now know how far the Alberta government’s recent order on the selection of school library materials goes in curtailing their freedom to read. More than 200 titles have been removed from Alberta school libraries as a direct result of the ministerial order. The Writers’ Guild of Alberta condemns this historic attack on freedom of expression and freedom to read. As noted in our statement

What is the Kemosa Scholarship? First established in 2017 by Dr. Nhung Tran-Davies in partnership with Tlicho Dene author Richard Van Camp, the Kemosa Scholarship offers an opportunity for First Nations, Métis and Inuit Mothers to obtain resources to help them complete the work on their writing – whether that be a novel, a collection of stories, poems, or whatever form their writing might take. The Scholarship is partially facilitated by the Writers’ Guild of Alberta.  Three cash scholarships are given

WGA Casino Night FundraiserJuly 30 – 31, 2026 Varying Shifts (Morning, Evening, and Overnight)Starlight Casino, West Edmonton Mall 8882 170 St NW #2710Edmonton The Writers’ Guild of Alberta’s casino fundraiser will be at the Starlight Casino at West Edmonton Mall (second floor) in Edmonton from July 30 – 31, 2026. By partnering with a local casino, the WGA provides staffing over this two-day period through members and volunteers in exchange for receiving a share of the casino profits. Our casinos

February 25, 2026 The Writers’ Guild of Alberta and the Writers’ Union of Canada are grateful for the outpouring of support we have received in the follow-up to receiving notice that our Freedom to Read event venue (the Kensington Legion in Calgary) had cancelled our booking. A joint statement was issued from the Board of the WGA and the TWUC shortly afterwards. Stepping in, the Alexandra Writers’ Centre Society was able to secure a new venue at the cSpace Marda

February 19, 2026For Immediate Release Reading Event at Calgary Legion Cancelled During Freedom to Read Week The Writers’ Union of Canada (TWUC) and the Writers’ Guild of Alberta (WGA) are shocked and disappointed to have had a joint Freedom to Read Week event discussing censorship and book-banning cancelled by the contracted venue. A public gathering featuring local writers reading from banned books and discussing a recent North American rise in censorship was scheduled to take place at Legion #264 in

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