Purdy Poetry Prize
November 12th, 2025
The Al Purdy A-frame Association and Eurithe Purdy are delighted to announce that acclaimed author and poet, Susan Musgrave (at right) will join previous Purdy Poetry Prize recipients Sid Marty and A.F. Moritz as jurors for the 2026 Al & Eurithe Purdy Poetry Prize. The $10,000 prize will recognize the most outstanding new poetry book published in Canada in 2025 by an established poet with five or more published poetry collections. The recipient of the 2026 prize will be announced on April 21, 2026.
Susan Musgrave is the author of over 30 books and has been recognized with awards across six different categories: poetry, novels, non-fiction, food writing, editing, and children’s literature. A three-time nominee for the Governor General’s Literary Awards and recipient of the George Woodcock Lifetime Achievement Award, Musgrave was most recently shortlisted for the 2023 Griffin Poetry Prize for her luminous collection Exculpatory Lilies. She lives on Haida Gwaii.
Sid Marty and A.F. Moritz are among Canada’s most decorated poets, both recognized multiple times as finalists for the Governor General’s Literary Award.
Eurithe Purdy founded the Al and Eurithe Purdy Poetry Prize in 2024 to recognize and reward poets of distinguished achievement who demonstrate exceptional talent and a profound connection to the Canadian spirit, which her husband so memorably captured in his works. Al Purdy is often regarded as the “unofficial poet laureate” of English Canada, leaving a significant mark on Canadian literature. Over his prolific career, he authored more than 30 poetry collections, a memoir, essays, a novel, and various anthologies. His contributions earned him the Governor General’s Literary Award twice, and he was named an Officer of the Order of Canada and a member of the Order of Ontario.
The submission deadline is November 30, 2025.
Eligibility guidelines and entry forms are posted on the Al Purdy A-frame Association website. Email prizecoordinator@shaw.ca for more information.
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