FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 27, 2019 (St. John’s, NL) – ArtsNL has announced the finalists for the 2018 BMO Winterset Award: Melissa Barbeau, Robert Chafe, and Heather Smith. The award celebrates excellence in Newfoundland and Labrador writing. The winner will be announced at Government House on Thursday, March 28, 2019.

The three finalists are:

Melissa Barbeau, The Luminous Sea (Breakwater Books), St. John’s, NL
Robert Chafe, Between Breaths (Playwrights Canada Press), Toronto, ON
Heather Smith, Ebb & Flow (Kids Can Press Ltd.; division of Corus Entertainment Inc.), Toronto, ON

The winner will receive a prize of $12,500 and the two finalists will each receive $3,000.

Books in any genre published in 2018 were eligible for the award. A total of 30 works by Newfoundland and Labrador authors (either native-born or resident) were submitted by publishers from across the country.

The Winterset Award honours the memory of Sandra Fraser Gwyn, St. John’s-born social historian, prize-winning author, and passionate promoter of Newfoundland and Labrador arts. Her husband, journalist and author Richard Gwyn established the award in 2000, which is managed by ArtsNL. It’s named after the historic house on Winter Avenue in St. John’s where Sandra grew up.

Finalists will read from their works and answer questions from the audience at a public reading and reception: 7pm Wednesday, March 27, 2019 at The Rooms (in the Theatre), 9 Bonaventure Avenue in St. John’s.

Media enquiries:

Joshua Jamieson
Communications Officer, ArtsNL
Tel: (709) 726-2212 ext. 203
Toll Free: 1(866) 726-2212 (NL only)
jjamieson@nlac.ca

ArtsNL is a non-profit Crown agency created in 1980 by The Arts Council Act. Its mission is to foster and promote the creation and enjoyment of the arts for the benefit of all Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. The Council is governed by a volunteer board of 13 appointed by government, reflecting regional representation of the province. This includes 10 professional artists who provide sectoral representation of the arts community; one community representative (with an interest in the arts); one business representative (with an interest in the arts); and one representative of the Department of Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation (non-voting). ArtsNL receives an annual allocation of $1.9 million from the Province to support a variety of granting programs, program delivery, office administration, and communications. It also seeks support from the public and private sector. It supports the following artistic disciplines: dance, film, multidiscipline, music, theatre, visual art, and writing.