News Releases

Poets House, Spring Street, New York City

New York City – April 19, 2005 – Scott Griffin, founder of The Griffin Trust For Excellence In Poetry – the largest poetry prize in the world – will be speaking at a landmark New York City poetry event on the evening of Tuesday April 19th titled Borderless: A Reading By Canadian Poets. Poets House, a poetry and literary centre, was created in 1985 to provide a meeting place for both writers and lovers of poetry as well as a space for its impressive collection of 40,000 volumes. The Readings are part of the multi-event, New York launch of Open Field, edited by Sina Queyras with a preface by Molly Peacock – a brilliant new anthology of Canadian contemporary poetry. Five of the poets included in the anthology – Ken Babstock, Christian Bök (author of Eunoia which won the Canadian category Griffin Poetry Prize in 2002), Sue Goyette, Erin Moure (one of the three judges of the 2005 Griffin Poetry Prize) and Karen Solie will participate in this Poets House reading.

Continue reading “Borderless: A Reading by Canadian Poets”

Griffin Poetry Prize Award increased to C$100,000
Two winning poets to accompany the Griffin Poetry Prize team to Ireland to appear at the Dublin Writers Festival

TORONTO, April 6, 2005 – The Griffin Poetry Prize shortlist for 2005 was announced today by Scott Griffin, and David Young, Trustees of The Griffin Trust For Excellence In Poetry. The C$100,000 Griffin Poetry Prize (increased this year from C$80,000) is the most lucrative prize to accept books of poetry from any country in the world – exemplifying the international spirit of poetry. The prize is awarded annually for the two best books of poetry (including translations) published in English the previous year.

Continue reading “The Griffin Poetry Prize Announces the 2005 Canadian and International Shortlist”

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.

Continue reading “The Griffin Trust For Excellence In Poetry Receives Record Number of Submissions for 2005 Prize”

TORONTO – December 9, 2004 – Scott Griffin today announced that, beginning January 1, 2005, Jane Wilson will be the new liaison for the media; responsible for news releases, press announcements and for providing information concerning the Griffin Poetry Prize, the nominated poets and the calendar of events for the 2005 awards, Wilson assumes her duties from Prudence Emery.

Continue reading “The Griffin Trust For Excellence In Poetry Announces New Public Relations Director”

TORONTO – October 28, 2004 – The three distinguished poets who will judge entries submitted by publishers around the world for the 2005 Griffin Poetry Prize are: Simon Armitage (United Kingdom), Erín Moure (Canada) and Tomaž Šalamun (Slovenia) it was announced today by Scott Griffin, Chairman of the Griffin Trust for Excellence in Poetry.

Continue reading “The Griffin Trust For Excellence In Poetry Announces the Judges for the 2005 Griffin Poetry Prize”

LONDON, ENGLAND, October 25, 2004 – A breathtaking array of poets brought together by the Griffin Trust and the Canadian High Commission provides a unique line-up for Poetry International, the largest poetry festival in the United Kingdom taking place in London at the Royal Festival Hall from October 15 through to October 30 2004.

Continue reading “Margaret Atwood, Robert Bringhurst, Anne Carson, August Kleinzahler and Anne Simpson read at exclusive Griffin Poetry Prize event at Poetry International 2004”

TORONTO, June 3, 2004 – The Canadian and International winners of the 2004 Griffin Poetry Prize are Anne Simpson’s Loop and August Kleinzahler’s The Strange Hours Travelers Keep, it was announced tonight at the fourth annual awards event. The C$80,000 Griffin Poetry Prize is the most lucrative award for books of poetry from any country in the world. The Prize is awarded annually for the two best books of poetry (including translations) published in English the previous year.

Continue reading “Anne Simpson’s Loop and August Kleinzahler’s The Strange Hours Travelers Keep Win the 2004 Griffin Poetry Prize”

Poetry Without Borders

TORONTO, March 31st, 2004 – The Griffin Poetry Prize shortlist for 2004 was announced today by Scott Griffin, Chairman of The Griffin Trust. The C$80,000 Griffin Poetry Prize is the most lucrative prize to accept books of poetry from any country in the world – “Poetry Without Borders”. The prize is awarded annually for the two best books of poetry (including translations) published in English the previous year.

Continue reading “The C$80,000 Griffin Poetry Prize International and Canadian 2004 Shortlist Announced”

TORONTO, September 25, 2003 – Distinguished poets Billy Collins (U.S. Poet Laureate 2001-2003), Bill Manhire (New Zealand’s inaugural poet laureate) and Governor General Award-winner Phyllis Webb (Canada) have agreed to judge entries submitted by publishers around the world for the 2004 Griffin Poetry Prize, it was announced today by Scott Griffin, Chairman of the Griffin Trust for Excellence in Poetry.

Continue reading “The Griffin Trust For Excellence In Poetry Announces the Judges for the 2004 Griffin Poetry Prize”

TORONTO, June 12, 2003 – The Canadian and International winners of the 2003 Griffin Poetry Prize are Margaret Avison, Concrete and Wild Carrot and Paul Muldoon, Moy sand and gravel, it was announced tonight at the third annual awards event. The C$80,000 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 2002.

Continue reading “Margaret Avison’s Concrete and Wild Carrot and Paul Muldoon’s Moy sand and gravel Win the 2003 Griffin Poetry Prize”