The Griffin Poetry Prize is arranging a town hall meeting to review its structure. Scott Griffin, the prize’s benefactor, sought input through an online survey following criticism over changes made to the award in 2022. Previously, the prize consisted of two separate $65,000 awards for an international poet and a Canadian poet. However, Griffin decided to merge the prizes into a single $130,000 award open to all poets. Additionally, a $10,000 prize is now given for the first poetry book in English by a Canadian citizen or resident.
Concerns arose that the alteration disadvantaged Canadian poets, prompting the Griffin Trust to conduct a survey with 285 participants. The town hall is scheduled for May 25, both in-person at Victoria College in the University of Toronto and online, just before this year’s prize presentation on June 3.
Last year, the Griffin Poetry Prize was awarded to German poet Durs Grünbein for “Psyche Running,” translated by Karen Leeder. Margaret Atwood received the lifetime achievement award, and Whitehorse author Dawn Macdonald won the Canadian First Book Prize for “Northerny.” Notable past Canadian winners include Tolu Oloruntoba, Billy-Ray Belcourt, Anne Carson, Roo Borson, Dionne Brand, and Jordan Abel.
For those interested in poetry, the CBC Poetry Prize is accepting submissions until June 1. Ensure to review the rules before submitting your work.