The League of Canadian Poets (LCP) is thrilled to announce the 2020 Poetry Awards winners for the Gerald Lampert Memorial Award, Pat Lowther Memorial Award, Raymond Souster Award and Sheri-D Wilson Golden Beret Award. Congratulations to all of the poets and publishers for their fine work and many thanks to the jurors for their dedication to this year’s awards.

 

GERALD LAMPERT MEMORIAL AWARD

Awarded annually since 1981, the Gerald Lampert Memorial Award is given in the memory of Gerald Lampert, an arts administrator who organized author tours and took a particular interest in the work of new writers. The award recognizes a first book of poetry published by a Canadian writer in the preceding year. The award carries a $2000 prize and is sponsored by the LCP.

 

2020 Winner: Float and Scurry by Heather Birrell (Anvil Press/A Feed Dog Book)

2020 Jurors: Ben Ladouceur, Robin Richardson and Anna Yin

 

PAT LOWTHER MEMORIAL AWARD

Open to Canadian women, the Pat Lowther Memorial Award has been awarded annually since 1981 for a book of poetry published in the preceding year. This prize is in memory of the late Pat Lowther, whose career was cut short by her untimely death in 1975. The award carries a $2000 prize, and is sponsored by the LCP.

 

2020 Winner: How She Read by Chantal Gibson (Caitlin Press)

2020 Jurors: Annick MacAskill, Billeh Nickerson and Soraya Peerbaye

 

RAYMOND SOUSTER AWARD

The Raymond Souster Award was established in 2013 to honour Raymond Souster, an early founder of the League of Canadian Poets. The award is presented annually for a book of poetry by a League member published in the preceding year. The award carries a $2000 prize, and is sponsored by the LCP.

 

2020 Winner: Unmeaningable by Roxanna Bennett (Gordon Hill Press)

2020 Jurors: Jim Johnstone, Randy Lundy and Suzanne Zelazo

 

SHERI-D WILSON GOLDEN BERET AWARD

The Sheri-D Wilson Golden Beret Award is an annual literary prize crafted specifically to highlight the unique strengths and values of spoken word poetry. The Sheri-D Wilson Golden Beret Award honours an established Canadian poet with a history of achievement and performance in spoken word. The award carries a $2000 prize, and is sponsored by Sheri-D Wilson and the LCP.

 

2020 Winner: Charlie C Petch

2020 Jurors: Hal Hart, Johnny MacRae and Tanya Neumeyer

 

 

Shortlists and Longlists for the 2020 Poetry Awards by the League of Canadian Poets were announced on April 20, 2020 and April 6, 2020 respectively.

 

About the League of Canadian Poets

Established in 1966, the League of Canadian Poets is a national non-profit organization dedicated to supporting, engaging, and promoting poets and poetry in Canada.