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About the Award

Established in memory of writer Bronwen Wallace, this award has a proven track record of helping talented developing authors get their first book deal. Two $10,000 prizes will be given for outstanding works of unpublished poetry and short fiction.


The RBC Bronwen Wallace Award is sponsored by RBC Emerging Artists. The initiative supports organizations that provide the best opportunity for artists to advance in their projected career paths. Providing key funding across artistic genres, RBC contributes to the positive, sustained impact of the arts in building strong, diverse, and vibrant communities. Since 2015, more than 28,000 artists have been supported through these programs.  

2023 Finalists - Short Fiction

2023 Finalists - Poetry

Jury

Poetry
A jury composed of Cicely Belle Blain, shalan joudry, and Sue Sinclair read 181 submissions to select finalists in the poetry category.

Jury

Short Fiction
A jury composed of David Huebert, Janice Lynn Mather, and Dimitri Nasrallah read 201 submissions to select finalists in the short fiction category.

About Bronwen Wallace

Bronwen Wallace (1945–1989) was a poet, short-story writer, and mentor to many aspiring authors as a creative writing instructor at Queen’s University and St. Lawrence College in Kingston, ON. This prize was established in her honour in 1994 by a group of friends and colleagues. Wallace felt that writers should have more opportunities for recognition early in their careers. Hence, this annual award is presented to two writers — one each in the categories of poetry and short fiction — who have been published in literary journals or anthologies but have yet to publish in book form.