Call for Submissions: The Al and Eurithe Purdy Poetry Prize
Posted: September 14, 2025by
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS for the AL AND EURITHE PURDY POETRY PRIZE
Eurithe Purdy and the Al Purdy A-Frame Association (APAFA) invite submissions for the 2026 Al and Eurithe Purdy Poetry Prize. The $10,000 prize will recognize the most outstanding new poetry book published in Canada in 2025 by an established poet with five or more published poetry collections. The recipient of the 2026 prize will be announced on April 21, 2026, coinciding with the 26th anniversary of Al Purdy’s passing. The shortlist will be announced in March 2026.
Eurithe Purdy founded the Al and Eurithe Purdy Poetry Prize in March 2024 to recognize and reward poets of distinguished achievement who demonstrate exceptional talent and a profound connection to the Canadian spirit, which her husband so memorably captured in his works. The inaugural prize was awarded to Alberta writer Sid Marty on April 21, 2024, for his book Oldman’s River: New and Collected Poems. Toronto poet and scholar A.F. Moritz was awarded the prize in 2025 for his collection, Great Silent Ballad, published by House of Anansi Press.
An endowment established by Eurithe Purdy and overseen by the APAFA will help ensure the award continues to celebrate excellence in poetry across Canada while preserving Al Purdy’s legacy in Canadian literature. Al Purdy is often regarded as the “unofficial poet laureate” of English Canada, leaving a significant mark on Canadian literature. Over his prolific career, he authored over thirty poetry collections, a memoir, essays, a novel, and various anthologies. His contributions earned him the Governor General’s Literary Award twice, and he was named an Officer of the Order of Canada and a member of the Order of Ontario. The League of Canadian Poets also honoured him with the Voice of the Land Award, recognizing his substantial impact on Canadian poetry.
The deadline for submissions is Sunday, November 30, 2025. For eligibility guidelines and entry forms, contact the prize coordinator at prizecoordinator@shaw.ca.
For more information on the Al and Eurithe Purdy Poetry Prize, please contact
Fernanda Viveiros at fernanda@shaw.ca
Eurithe Purdy and the Al Purdy A-Frame Association (APAFA) invite submissions for the 2026 Al and Eurithe Purdy Poetry Prize. The $10,000 prize will recognize the most outstanding new poetry book published in Canada in 2025 by an established poet with five or more published poetry collections. The recipient of the 2026 prize will be announced on April 21, 2026, coinciding with the 26th anniversary of Al Purdy’s passing. The shortlist will be announced in March 2026.
Eurithe Purdy founded the Al and Eurithe Purdy Poetry Prize in March 2024 to recognize and reward poets of distinguished achievement who demonstrate exceptional talent and a profound connection to the Canadian spirit, which her husband so memorably captured in his works. The inaugural prize was awarded to Alberta writer Sid Marty on April 21, 2024, for his book Oldman’s River: New and Collected Poems. Toronto poet and scholar A.F. Moritz was awarded the prize in 2025 for his collection, Great Silent Ballad, published by House of Anansi Press.
An endowment established by Eurithe Purdy and overseen by the APAFA will help ensure the award continues to celebrate excellence in poetry across Canada while preserving Al Purdy’s legacy in Canadian literature. Al Purdy is often regarded as the “unofficial poet laureate” of English Canada, leaving a significant mark on Canadian literature. Over his prolific career, he authored over thirty poetry collections, a memoir, essays, a novel, and various anthologies. His contributions earned him the Governor General’s Literary Award twice, and he was named an Officer of the Order of Canada and a member of the Order of Ontario. The League of Canadian Poets also honoured him with the Voice of the Land Award, recognizing his substantial impact on Canadian poetry.
The deadline for submissions is Sunday, November 30, 2025. For eligibility guidelines and entry forms, contact the prize coordinator at prizecoordinator@shaw.ca.
For more information on the Al and Eurithe Purdy Poetry Prize, please contact
Fernanda Viveiros at fernanda@shaw.ca