About the Grant
The Writers’ Trust of Canada, The Writers’ Union of Canada, Royal Bank of Canada, Access Copyright Foundation, Amazon Canada, and Audible.ca have joined forces to provide a relief fund to support professional creators affected financially by the COVID-19 health crisis.
The current public health emergency has triggered an economic crisis for self-employed workers across Canada. Professional literary creators have been especially hard hit.
Within a matter of days, book tours, lectures, performances, and school visits were cancelled. Other sources of income in the form of contracts for publishing-related or non-related projects have disappeared or been indefinitely postponed. Many professional writers and visual artists are left struggling to buy groceries or medications or pay rent. The Writers’ Trust and Writers’ Union launched the Canadian Writers' Emergency Relief Fund to help writers during this difficult time. Applications closed on June 15, 2020.
Each year the Writers’ Trust distributes money to writers in need through its emergency grant program, the Woodcock Fund. These grants are invaluable, but demand during the present crisis exceeds what that program can match. The Writers’ Trust and Writers’ Union approached partners to develop a coordinated response to this urgent need. They collectively raised over $335,000 for this project, and continue to talk to other participants and funding bodies about the possibility of increasing the pool of funds available. Make a donation today
#WTInsideVoices Live Stream
How is the ongoing global pandemic affecting Canadian writers?
April 20
Writers' Trust Fellowship recipients Michael Crummey, Miriam Toews, Eden Robinson, and Heather O'Neill had a live chat with celebrated author Tanya Talaga on the pandemic and how they are managing to write — or not — in the midst of COVID-19. Read the transcript or watch the video on YouTube or Facebook.
May 4
The 2020 Writers' Trust Rising Stars were announced during our second live stream, hosted by Rising Stars selector Rachel Giese. Recipients Carleigh Baker (selected by Thomas King), Lorax B. Horne (selected by Rachel Giese), Canisia Lubrin (selected by Anosh Irani), Troy Sebastian / Nupqu ʔa·kǂ am̓ (selected by Lynn Coady), and Laura Trethewey (select by Rosemary Sullivan) chatted about how the pandemic has affected life for developing writers. Watch the video on YouTube or Facebook.
Program Partner
The Writers' Union of Canada
The Writers’ Union of Canada is the national organization of professionally published writers. Now over 2,100 members strong, the Union was founded in 1973 to work with governments, publishers, booksellers, and readers to improve the conditions of Canadian writers.
Because a lively and diverse literary culture is essential in defining Canada and its people, the Union supports its members and advocates on their behalf for the advancement of their common interests. In so doing we promote the rights, freedoms, and economic well-being of all writers.
Sponsors
The Access Copyright Foundation promotes and supports Canadian culture by providing grants intended to encourage the development and dissemination of publishable Canadian works. The Foundation endeavours to make a modest but important contribution to the Canadian cultural community, while also broadening public awareness of the creative vitality of Canadian writers, visual artists and publishers.
Royal Bank of Canada is a global financial institution with a purpose-driven, principles-led approach to delivering leading performance. RBC’s success comes from the 85,000+ employees who bring their vision, values, and strategy to life so they can help their clients thrive and communities prosper. As Canada’s biggest bank, and one of the largest in the world based on market capitalization, RBC has a diversified business model with a focus on innovation and providing exceptional experiences to 17 million clients in Canada, the US, and 34 other countries.
Since 2003, RBC’s investments in arts organizations have exceeded $80 million. Since 2015, over 13,000 artists have been supported through Emerging Artists programs. In 2019, the RBC Foundation donated $8 million as part of the Emerging Artists Project to over 300 organizations in Canada, helping to bridge the gap for over 2,500 emerging artists. RBC is proud to support a broad range of community initiatives through donations, community investments and employee volunteer activities. See how at rbc.com/community-social-impact/.
Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, and Alexa are some of the products and services pioneered by Amazon.
In addition to a number of donors whose names may not appear for privacy purposes, the Writers’ Trust and The Writers' Union of Canada would like to thank the following individuals for their generous support of the Canadian Writers’ Emergency Relief Fund:
David Alexander
Amazon Canada
Sally Armstrong
At Bay Press
Audible.ca
Richard Bachmann
Myra Bloom
Stephanie Bolster
Frances Boyle
Kate Braid
Catherine Bush
Theresa Carle-Sanders
Susan Carter
Kerry Clare
Andrew Cohen
Susan Crean
Michael Crummey
Annahid Dashtgard
Kit Dobson
Kelly Duran
Kate Edwards
Anne Fleming
Cynthia Flood
Charlie Foran
Bonnie Goldberg
Bret Goldin
Sonja Greckol
Robin Harlick
Sue Harper
Janet Hatcher
Janet Hatcher
Sandra Hoenle
Matthew Holmes
Amanda Hopkins
J&W Murphy Foundation
Marthe Jocelyn
Lynne Kutsukake
Susan Lightstone
Alison Loat
Deb Loughead
Jessica Magonet
Madison Maguire
Jerry McIntosh
Michael Melgaard
Christopher Moore
Cathy Ostlere
Pandemic University School of Writing
Brian Panhuyzen
Kim Pittaway
Marika Prokosh
Kardeisha Provo
Zoe S.
Leslie Sanders
Gregory Santos
Ellen Schwartz
Robert Shipley
Maggie Siggins
Evan Sterling
Tanya Talaga
Edward Taylor
Jessica Taylor
Jan Thornhill
Toronto Book Club
Gillian Turnbull
Daniel Tysdale
Aritha van Herk
Robert Vink
Meg Walker
Gerda Wekerle
K.R. Wilson