FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 6, 2019 (St. John’s, NL) –For the first time in the BMO Winterset Award’s 19 year history, ArtsNL is pleased to announce a long list. The award celebrates excellence in Newfoundland and Labrador writing. On February 27, 2019, the three finalists will be revealed, before announcing the award winner at Government House on Thursday, March 28, 2019.

The inaugural six title long list includes:

Melissa Barbeau, for: The Luminous Sea (Breakwater Books), St. John’s, NL

Brian Callahan, for: Growing Up Next to the Mental (Flanker Press Ltd.), St. John’s, NL

Robert Chafe, for: Between Breaths (Playwrights Canada Press), Toronto, ON

Bernice Morgan, for: Seasons Before the War (Running the Goat Books and Broadsides Inc.), Tors Cove, NL

Susan Sinnott, for: Catching the Light (Vagrant Press; imprint of Nimbus Publishing Limited), Halifax, NS

Heather Smith, for: Ebb & Flow (Kids Can Press Ltd.; division of Corus Entertainment Inc.), Toronto, ON

The winner will receive a prize of $12,500 and 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: 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 27, 2019 at The Rooms (in the Theatre), 9 Bonaventure Avenue in St. John’s.

Find out more here.

Media enquiries:

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