The Alberta Literary Awards (ALA), administered by the Writers’ Guild of Alberta, have been awarded annually since 1982 to recognize outstanding writing by

Alberta Alberta ( ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is part of Western Canada and is one of the three prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to the west, Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Ter ...

authors. The awards honour fiction, nonfiction, poetry, drama, children's literature. At the first public ALA Gala in 1994, the inaugural Golden Pen Lifetime Achievement Award was given to

W. O. Mitchell William Ormond Mitchell, (March 13, 1914 – February 25, 1998) was a Canadian writer and broadcaster. His "best-loved" novel is '' Who Has Seen the Wind'' (1947), which portrays life on the Canadian Prairies from the point of view of a smal ...

Alberta Literary Awards

R. Ross Annett Award for Children’s Literature

The children’s literature category alternates yearly between picture and chapter books. The 2019 award is presented to an Alberta author of a children’s picture book published in 2017 or 2018.

Georges Bugnet Award for Fiction

Awarded for a novel or collection of short fiction by an Alberta author published in the previous year. Past recipients are

W. P. Kinsella William Patrick "W. P." Kinsella (May 25, 1935September 16, 2016) was a Canadian novelist and short story writer, known for his novel ''Shoeless Joe'' (1982), which was adapted into the movie ''Field of Dreams'' in 1989. His work often concern ...

Sam Selvon Samuel Selvon (20 May 1923 – 16 April 1994)"Samuel Selvon"
Encyclopædia Brit ...

, Pauline Gedge, Aritha van Herk, Mary Walters Riskin,

Helen Forrester Helen Forrester was the pen name of June Huband Bhatia (6 June 1919 – 24 November 2011), who was an Anglo-Canadian author known for her books about her youth in Liverpool, England, during the Great Depression and World II, as well as seve ...

, Jacqueline Dumas, Thomas King,

Greg Hollingshead Gregory Hollingshead, CM (born February 25, 1947) is a Canadian novelist. He was formerly a professor of English at the University of Alberta, and he lives in Toronto, Ontario.Robert Hilles Robert Hilles (born November 13, 1951) is a Canadian poet and novelist. He was born in Kenora, Ontario and grew up at Longbow Lake, Ontario. He left there in 1971 to attend university and later studied at the University of Calgary, earning a ...

Roberta Rees Roberta Rees (born 1954 in New Westminster, British Columbia)"Author finds voice in elements". ''Calgary Herald'', November 4, 1994. is a Canadian writer from Alberta. Career Rees was raised primarily in Crowsnest Pass, Alberta, and has been ...

Richard Wagamese Richard Wagamese (October 14, 1955 – March 10, 2017) was an Ojibwe Canadian author and journalist from the Wabaseemoong Independent Nations in Northwestern Ontario."Indian Horse is a dark ride". '' Calgary Herald'', February 28, 2012. He was be ...

, Marion Douglas, Kristjana Gunnars, Margie Taylor, Catherine Simmons Niven, Peter Oliva, Fred Stenson, Thomas Wharton, Thomas Trofimuk,

Tim Bowling Tim Bowling (born 1964 in Vancouver, British Columbia) is a Guggenheim winning Canadian novelist and poet. He spent his youth in Ladner, British Columbia, and now lives in Edmonton, Alberta. He has published four novels. He was a judge for the 2 ...

, Paul Anderson,

Marie Jakober Marie Jakober (August 27, 1941 – March 26, 2017) was a Canadian novelist. Based in Calgary, Alberta Alberta ( ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is part of Western Canada and is one of the three prairie prov ...

, Nina Newington, Jaspreet Singh,

Michael Davie Michael Davie (15 January 1924 – 7 December 2005) was a British journalist. Born in Cranleigh, Surrey, Davie was the last of three children born to the head of a firm of stockbrokers. He was educated at Haileybury and Merton College, Oxford, ...

Todd Babiak Todd Babiak is a Canadian writer and entrepreneur living in Tasmania. Career He is CEO of Brand Tasmania, a co-founder of Story Engine and Places are People, and has published several bestselling novels. His first novel, ''Choke Hold'', was a fi ...

Lynn Coady Lynn Coady (born January 24, 1970)Lynn Coady
at

Richard Van Camp Richard Van Camp (born September 8, 1971) is a Dogrib Tłı̨chǫ writer of the Dene nation from Fort Smith, Northwest Territories, Canada.

Ali Bryan Ali Bryan is a Canadian novelist, and personal trainer. Her second novel, ''"The Figgs"'', was shortlisted for the 2019 Stephen Leacock Medal for Humour. Biography Bryan was born in Nova Scotia, where she graduated from Saint Mary's University, ...

Rudy Wiebe Rudy Henry Wiebe (born 4 October 1934) is a Canadian author and professor emeritus in the department of English at the University of Alberta since 1992.

, Bradley Somer, Gisèle Villeneuve and Deborah Willis.

Wilfrid Eggleston Award for Nonfiction

Awarded for a nonfiction book by an Alberta author published in the previous year.

Gwen Pharis Ringwood Award for Drama

Awarded to a play written by an Alberta author published or produced in the previous year.

Stephan G. Stephansson Award for Poetry

Awarded for a collection of poetry by an Alberta author published in the previous year.

James H. Gray Award for Short Nonfiction

Awarded to an outstanding literary short nonfiction piece by an Alberta author on any topic published in the previous year.

Howard O’Hagan Award for Short Story

Awarded to an outstanding single short story by an Alberta author published in the previous year. Past recipients are

Cecelia Frey Cecelia Frey (born 1936) is a Canadian poet, novelist, and short story writer. Her works have appeared in literary magazines and in numerous anthologies, and broadcast on CBC Radio as well as produced by the Women's Television Network. She was the ...

Merna Summers Merna Summers (born March 22, 1933, in Mannville, Alberta)W. H. New, ed. ''Encyclopedia of Literature in Canada''. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2002. is a Canadian short story writer. She was awarded the Marian Engel Award Marian may re ...

Diane Schoemperlen Diane Mavis Schoemperlen (born July 9, 1954) is a Canadian novelist and short story writer. Early life and education Schoemperlen was born in Thunder Bay, Ontario, and educated at Lakehead University. Career Schoemperlen's first novel, ''In the ...

W.O. Mitchell William Ormond Mitchell, (March 13, 1914 – February 25, 1998) was a Canadian writer and broadcaster. His "best-loved" novel is '' Who Has Seen the Wind'' (1947), which portrays life on the Canadian Prairies from the point of view of a smal ...

, J. Jill Robinson,

Greg Hollingshead Gregory Hollingshead, CM (born February 25, 1947) is a Canadian novelist. He was formerly a professor of English at the University of Alberta, and he lives in Toronto, Ontario.Martin Sherman Martin Gerald Sherman (born December 22, 1938) is an American dramatist and screenwriter best known for his 20 stage plays which have been produced in over 60 countries. He rose to fame in 1979 with the production of his play '' Bent'', which e ...

, Rosemary Nixon,

Fred Wah Frederick James Wah, OC, (born January 23, 1939) is a Canadian poet, novelist, scholar and former Canadian Parliamentary Poet Laureate. Life Wah was born in Swift Current, Saskatchewan, but grew up in the interior (West Kootenay) of British Columbi ...

, Sally Ito, Barbara Scott,

Caterina Edwards Caterina Edwards LoVerso (born 1948) is a Canadian writer and teacher. Edwards was born in Earls Barton, England. Her mother was born in Lussino, Istria, and her father is from a Welsh and English family. Edwards eventually moved to Calgary ...

, Gloria Sawai, Sarah Murphy, Jacqueline Baker, Thomas Wharton, Laura J. Cutler, Leslie Greentree,

, Barb Howard, Ben Lof,

Rudy Wiebe Rudy Henry Wiebe (born 4 October 1934) is a Canadian author and professor emeritus in the department of English at the University of Alberta since 1992.

, Amy Bright, Lee Kvern, Jasmina Odor, Katie Bickell, Laurie MacFayden and

Norma Dunning Norma Dunning (born 1959) is an Inuk Canadian writer and assistant lecturer at the University of Alberta, who won the Danuta Gleed Literary Award in 2018 for her short story collection ''Annie Muktuk and Other Stories''. In the same year, she won t ...

Jon Whyte Memorial Essay Award

Named after the writer Jon Whyte, this award has been presented to an outstanding unpublished essay by an Alberta author since 1992.

Book Prizes

Robert Kroetsch City of Edmonton Book Prize

The Robert Kroetsch City of Edmonton Book Prize was established by the City Council in 1995 and is administered by the Writers' Guild of Alberta. The prize was renamed in 2011 after the late

Robert Kroetsch Robert Paul Kroetsch (June 26, 1927 – June 21, 2011)

, who was best known for his Governor General's Award-winning novel, The Studhorse Man.

City of Calgary W. O. Mitchell Book Prize

Given out as part of the

Calgary Awards The Calgary Awards is an award given out annually by the Canadian city of Calgary. It is managed by the official citizen recognition program of Calgary and was established in 1994. It is meant to celebrate contributions done to the community by Cal ...

, the City of Calgary W. O. Mitchell Book Prize is awarded in honour of acclaimed Calgary writer

and recognizes literary achievement by Calgary authors. The prize was established in 1996 and is coordinated through a partnership between The City of Calgary and the Writers' Guild of Alberta. Past recipients include: Lisa Chistensen, Elspeth Cameron, Richard Harrison, Barbara Scott, JoAnn McCaig,

Andrew Nikiforuk Andrew Nikiforuk (born 1955) is a Canadian journalist and author. His writing has appeared in many outlets, including '' Saturday Night'', ''Maclean's'', ''Alberta Views'', '' Alternatives Journal'', and national newspapers. He has won multiple Nat ...

, Paula da Costa, W. Mark Giles, Jan Lars Jensen, Christopher Wiseman,

Rona Altrows Rona Altrows (born 1948) is a Canadian writer and editor. Her books include short fiction, a children's book, and two literary anthologies. Her stories and essays have appeared in literary magazines and newspapers across Canada. Biography Altro ...

, Diane Guichon, Gordon Pengilly, Clem Martini and Olivier Martini, Suzette Mayr, Marcello Di Cintio, Tyler Trafford, Chris Turner, Eugene Stickland, Joan Crate, and Taylor Lambert.

Golden Pen Award

The Golden Pen Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to acknowledge the lifetime achievements of outstanding Alberta writers. The 2019 recipient was

Bob Stallworthy Bob, BOB, or B.O.B. may refer to: Places *Mount Bob, New York, United States * Bob Island, Palmer Archipelago, Antarctica People, fictional characters, and named animals *Bob (given name), a list of people and fictional characters * Bob (surnam ...

. Vivian Hansen received this award in 2020 while Chris Wiseman was chosen in 2022. Past recipients are

Grant MacEwan John Walter Grant MacEwan (August 12, 1902 – June 15, 2000) was a Canadian farmer, professor at the University of Saskatchewan, Dean of Agriculture at the University of Manitoba, the 28th Mayor of Calgary and both a Member of the Legislat ...

Rudy Wiebe Rudy Henry Wiebe (born 4 October 1934) is a Canadian author and professor emeritus in the department of English at the University of Alberta since 1992.

, Myrna Kostash,

Robert Kroetsch Robert Paul Kroetsch (June 26, 1927 – June 21, 2011)

, Aritha van Herk, Fred Stenson (writer),

George Melnyk George Roman Melnyk (born 1946) is a Canadian cultural historian. Melnyk is Professor Emeritus of Communication, Media and Film at the University of Calgary. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from the University of Manitoba, a Maste ...

Alice Major Alice Major is a Canadian poet, writer, and essayist, who served as poet laureate of Edmonton, Alberta. She has published 12 collections of poetry and a collection of essays on poetry and science. Her work has received multiple awards, most rece ...

, Betty Jane Hegerat,

Greg Hollingshead Gregory Hollingshead, CM (born February 25, 1947) is a Canadian novelist. He was formerly a professor of English at the University of Alberta, and he lives in Toronto, Ontario.Candas Jane Dorsey Candas Jane Dorsey (born November 16, 1952) is a Canadian poet and science fiction novelist who resides in her hometown of Edmonton, Alberta. Dorsey became a writer from an early age and works across genre boundaries, writing poetry, fiction, mai ...

and

The Kemosa Scholarship for First Nations, Métis and Inuit Mothers Who Write

Since 2018, The Writers' Guild of Alberta has awarded three annual scholarships to support First Nations, Métis and Inuit Mothers in their writing careers.

Past awards

*Alberta Screenwriters Initiative *Amber Bowerman Memorial Travel Writing Award *Henry Kreisel Award for Best First Book *Sharon Drummond Chapbook Prize *Youth/Emerging Writing Contest

References

{{reflist

External links

Official website
of the Writers’ Guild of Alberta Canadian children's literary awards Canadian dramatist and playwright awards Canadian fiction awards Canadian non-fiction literary awards Canadian poetry awards