TORONTO – April 7, 2015 – Scott Griffin, founder of The Griffin Trust For Excellence In Poetry is pleased to announce the International and Canadian shortlist for this year’s prize. Judges Tim Bowling (Canada), Fanny Howe (USA) and Piotr Sommer (Poland) each read 560 books of poetry, from 42 countries, including 24 translations.
The seven finalists – four International and three Canadian – will be invited to read in Toronto at Koerner Hall at The Royal Conservatory in the TELUS Centre for Performance and Learning, 273 Bloor Street West, Toronto, on Wednesday, June 3rd at 7.30 p.m. The seven finalists will each be awarded $10,000 for their participation in the Shortlist Readings.
The winners, to be announced at the Griffin Poetry Prize Awards on Thursday, June 4th, will each be awarded $65,000.
International Shortlist
Something Crossed My Mind • Eleanor Goodman, translated from the Chinese
written by Wang Xiaoni
Zephyr Press
Finite Formulae & Theories of Chance • Marek Kazmierski, translated from the Polish
written by Wioletta Greg
Arc Publications
The Stairwell • Michael Longley
Jonathan Cape
The Road to Emmaus • Spencer Reece
Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Canadian Shortlist
Congotronic • Shane Book
House of Anansi Press
Blue Sonoma • Jane Munro
Brick Books
The Hundred Lives • Russell Thornton
Quattro Books
Each year, The Griffin Trust For Excellence In Poetry presents an anthology of poems selected from the shortlisted books, published by House of Anansi Press. Royalties from The Griffin Poetry Prize Anthology are donated to UNESCO’s World Poetry Day.
Tickets for the Shortlist Readings to be held on Wednesday, June 3rd, at Koerner Hall at The Royal Conservatory in the TELUS Centre for Performance and Learning, 273 Bloor Street West, Toronto are available at http://performance.rcmusic.ca/event/2015-griffin-poetry-prize-shortlist-readings or by calling (416) 408-0208.
Note: The publishers mentioned in our release are those who submitted the books.
Note to booksellers: Griffin Poetry Prize book stickers are supplied free of charge by The Griffin Trust. Contact info@griffinpoetryprize.com to place an order. Winner book stickers will be available after June 4th.
Please direct other inquiries as follows:
| Media Inquiries:Melissa Shirley Telephone: (647) 389-9510 publicity@griffinpoetryprize.com |
General Inquiries:Ruth Smith, Manager Telephone: (905) 618-0420 info@griffinpoetryprize.com |
Shortlisted Publishers’ Web sites:
Arc Publications:
www.arcpublications.co.uk
Brick Books:
www.brickbooks.ca
Farrar, Straus and Giroux:
www.fsgbooks.com
House of Anansi Press:
www.houseofanansi.com
Jonathan Cape:
www.randomhouse.co.uk
Quattro Books:
www.quattrobooks.ca
Zephyr Press:
www.zephyrpress.org
Shortlist summary, poet bios and citations
Download press release, poet bios and citations | Download photos
Purchase 2015 Griffin Prize Anthology and shortlist books online