TORONTO – January 19, 2005 – The Griffin Trust For Excellence In Poetry today announced that all submissions for the 2005 Griffin Poetry Prize have been received.
This year 431 entries were submitted by publishers before the deadline of midnight, December 31, 2004 to compete for the two annual literary prizes together worth C$80,000 for collections of poetry published in English (including translations) during the preceding year.
The Griffin Trust awards one $40,000 prize to a living Canadian poet or translator, the other $40,000 to a living poet or translator from any other country, which may include Canada.
Scott Griffin, who founded the literary world’s largest and most coveted poetry award in 2000, is pleased to see the solid rise in entrants, which began with 230 submissions 5 years ago, and whose growth reflects an increasing interest in poetry.
“It’s satisfying to see the excitement build every year,” said the Chairman of the Trust, “as the Griffin Poetry Prize becomes recognized around the world and we receive a greater number of international submissions.”
This year’s 431 entries come from 17 countries, and include translations from 8 different languages.
Trustees Margaret Atwood, Robert Hass, Michael Ondaatje, Robin Robertson, Carolyn Forché and David Young select the judges of each year’s competition. This year, the three distinguished poets are Simon Armitage (United Kingdom), Erin Moure (Canada), and Tomaz Salamun (Slovenia). It will be their task to read the 431 submissions from which a shortlist of seven will be announced at a press conference in Toronto on April 6th. From that list, and following the traditional evening of readings held June 1st at the MacMillan Theatre, the judges will select each of the two category winners of the Griffin Poetry Prizes, which will then be announced at the awards evening on June 2nd.
Last year’s Griffin Poetry Prize winners, August Kleinzahler and Anne Simpson, accompanied Griffin Trustee Margaret Atwood, Anne Carson (Griffin Prize winner 2001) and Robert Bringhurst (Shortlist 2001) in October to read at Poetry International 2004 at the Royal Festival Hall in London to tremendous acclaim.
A busy schedule is planned for this year’s Griffin Poetry Prize Shortlist entrants and Award winners – watch for announcements of an expanded travel and event calendar in the coming weeks.
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For more information, contact:
Press and Publicity:
Jane Wilson, Public Relations Director
E-mail: press@griffinpoetryprize.com