The Al Purdy A-frame Residency

Last year the A-frame Association launched online workshops, thanks to Ben Ladouceur. The response was really favourable. “Thanks for the amazing workshop — just so soul-soothing.” “The atmosphere was supportive, the prompts useful, and the example poems presented were both various and excellent. It was fun.” — 2021 Workshop Participants The Al Purdy A-frame Association…

Congratulations to A-frame alumna Sadiqa de Meijer, whose Alfabet/Alphabet has won the non-fiction category of the Governor General’s Literay Awards for 2021.  Alfabet/Alphabet, published by Palimpsest Press, is the record of de Meijer’s transition from speaking Dutch to English. The peer assessment committee — Sarah de Leeuw, Amanda Leduc and Evelyn C. White — had…

A-frame alumna Sadiqa de Meijer’s Alfabet/Alphabet has been shorlitsted in the non-fiction category of the Governor General’s Literay Awards for 2021. Congratulations! Winners will be announced on November 17. Alfabet/Alphabet, published by Palimpsest Press, is the record of de Meijer’s transition from speaking Dutch to English. “These lucid, penetrating meditations on language, loss, and identity…

Madhur Anand’s This Red Line Goes Straight to Your Heart was awarded the 2020 Governor General’s prize for non-fiction. The awards were delayed until June of this year because of the pandemic. Congratulations to Madhur, an A-frame alumna. “An innovative, moving account of three generations of a South Asian Canadian family as they negotiate time,…

Former A-frame residents are finalists for three 2020 Governor General’s Awards. Madhur Anand’s The Red Line Goes Straight to Your Heart (Strange Light/Penguin Random House Canada) is a finalist in the non-fiction category. Oana Avasilichioaei is a finalist in two categories: Eight Track (Talonbooks) in poetry, and The Neptune Room (Book*hug Press) in translation (Bertrand…

Due to the COVID pandemic, residencies for 2020 were deferred or split. We anticipate that it will take all of 2021 and well into 2022 to reschedule those writers. As a result, there will likely be reduced weeks available for this Call. Community projects will resume when public health officials signify that such activities are…

Participants in the Ben Ladouceur workshops really enjoyed them, and asked for more. Ben has arranged for Rachel McCrum to lead a series of three workshops on the following dates: •    Tues. April 27—8 p.m.-9 p.m. EDT •    Sat. May 1—1 p.m.-2 p.m. EDT •    Tues May 4—4 p.m.-5 p.m. EDT Each workshop will be…

The Al Purdy A-frame Association is very pleased to announce a new opportunity – writing workshops. What a great way to focus on your creativity during these strange (and long) COVID times. The first round of workshops will be with Ben Ladouceur, an A-frame alumni member. Workshops will last one hour. Cost is $20 and…

The Al Purdy A-frame Association is very pleased to announce that in the first week of our fundraising campaign a total of $13,194 has been raised, and many thanks to those who have already donated. Our anxiety has decreased a bit! Plus, one of our long-time supporters, Glasswaters Foundation, has made a pledge of up…

The Al and Eurithe Purdy A-frame needs your help! As you may know, several brave souls stepped forward 12 years ago to save the legendary home of Canada’s great poet Al Purdy. This house served as an inspiration for Purdy’s own work, but also as a nexus during Canada’s literary coming-of-age. Regular guests included Margaret…