News Releases

Statue of Canada’s Favourite Poet Unveiled in Queen’s Park

TORONTO – May 20, 2008 – One of Canada’s most beloved poets was honoured today with the unveiling of a statue in his likeness at an historic ceremony at Queen’s Park. This is only the second full-length statue of a poet in Toronto (the other being of Robbie Burns), and one of very few in Canada. The event was presided over by Toronto’s Poet Laureate Pier Giorgio Di Cicco with Purdy’s widow, Eurithe Purdy, unveiling the monument to her late husband.

Continue reading “Al Purdy – A Permanent Tribute”

An Unprecedented 509 Eligible Books Submitted

TORONTO – April 8, 2008 – Scott Griffin, founder of The Griffin Trust for Excellence in Poetry and David Young, trustee, today announced the Canadian and International shortlist for this year’s prize. The C$100,000 Griffin Poetry Prize is one of the most lucrative poetry prizes in the world, exemplifying the international spirit of the form. The prize is awarded annually for the two best books of poetry, including translations, published in English in the previous year.

Continue reading “The Griffin Poetry Prize Announces the 2008 Canadian and International Shortlist”

TORONTO – September 4, 2007 – The trustees of the Griffin Trust for Excellence in Poetry are pleased to announce that George Bowering (Canada), James Lasdun (USA), and Pura López Colomé (Mexico) are the judges for the 2008 Griffin Poetry Prize.

Continue reading “Announcing the Judges for the 2008 Griffin Poetry Prize”

TORONTO – June 6, 2007 – Charles Wright’s Scar Tissue and Don McKay’s Strike/Slip are the International and Canadian winners of the seventh annual Griffin Poetry Prize. The C$100,000 Griffin Poetry Prize, the richest poetry prize in the world for a single volume of poetry, is divided between the two winners. The prize is for first edition books of poetry published in 2006, and submitted from anywhere in the world.

Continue reading “Charles Wright’s Scar Tissue and Don McKay’s Strike/Slip Win the 2007 Griffin Poetry Prize”

TORONTO – April 3, 2007 – Scott Griffin, founder of The Griffin Trust For Excellence In Poetry and David Young, trustee, today announced the Canadian and International shortlist for this year’s prize. The C$100,000 Griffin Poetry Prize is one of the most lucrative poetry prizes in the world – exemplifying the international spirit of the form. The prize is awarded annually for the two best books of poetry, including translations, published in English in the previous year.

Continue reading “The Griffin Poetry Prize Announces the 2007 Canadian and International Shortlist”

Toronto, ON – November 15, 2006 – Griffin Poetry Prize trustees have selected John Burnside (Scotland), Charles Simic (USA), and Karen Solie (Canada) to be the judges for the 2007 Griffin Poetry Prize. Their individual and collective experience underlines the Griffin Trust’s stature as a major international poetry prize.

Continue reading “Judges Announced for the 2007 Griffin Poetry Prize”

TORONTO – June 1, 2006 – Kamau Brathwaite and Sylvia Legris are the International and Canadian winners of the 6th annual Griffin Poetry Prize. The C$100,000 Griffin Poetry Prize, the richest prize in the world for a single volume of poetry, is divided between the two winners. The prize is for first edition books of poetry, including translations, published in English in 2005, and submitted from anywhere in the world.

Continue reading “Kamau Brathwaite’s Born to Slow Horses and Sylvia Legris’ Nerve Squall Win the 2006 Griffin Poetry Prize”

An Unprecedented 441 Eligible Books Submitted

TORONTO – April 5, 2006 – Scott Griffin, founder of The Griffin Trust For Excellence In Poetry and David Young, trustee, today announced the Canadian and International shortlist for this year’s prize. The C$100,000 Griffin Poetry Prize is the most lucrative prize to accept books of poetry from any country in the world – exemplifying the international spirit of the form. The prize is awarded annually for the two best books of poetry, including translations, published in English in the previous year.

Continue reading “The Griffin Poetry Prize Announces the 2006 Canadian and International Shortlist”

TORONTO, September 21, 2005 – Griffin Poetry Prize Trustees have selected a set of judges for 2006 that reflects the Griffin Trust’s stature as a major international poetry prize.

All three judges – Lavinia Greenlaw (UK), Lisa Robertson (Canada) and Eliot Weinberger (USA) – have experience and qualifications that reach far beyond their countries of origin.

Continue reading “Griffin Poetry Prize Announces Judges for 2006”

TORONTO – June 2, 2005 – Roo Borson’s Short Journey Upriver Toward Oishida and Charles Simic’s Selected Poems 1963-2003 are the Canadian and International winners of the fifth annual Griffin Poetry Prize. The C$100,000 Griffin Poetry Prize, the richest poetry prize in the world for a single volume of poetry, is divided between the two winners. The prize is for first edition books of poetry published in 2004.

Continue reading “Roo Borson’s Short Journey Upriver Toward Oishida and Charles Simic’s Selected Poems: 1963-2003 Win the 2005 Griffin Poetry Prize”