Writers' Guild of Alberta

Writers' Guild of Alberta The Writers' Guild of Alberta is a provincial arts service organization that represents both professional and emerging writers in Alberta.

Coming up next at the WGA! Swipe to learn more, save the dates, and don't forget to sign up to volunteer at this summer'...
06/19/2026

Coming up next at the WGA! Swipe to learn more, save the dates, and don't forget to sign up to volunteer at this summer's Casino Fundraiser!

More at writersguild.ca

Join us for a summer Pub Night with your fellow writers and friends! The pub night follows directly after the Q***r Writ...
06/19/2026

Join us for a summer Pub Night with your fellow writers and friends! The pub night follows directly after the Q***r Writers’ Collective meeting from 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM MT. As always, open mic sign up begins at 7:00 PM MT, and newcomers get an extra special welcome!

July 15, 2026
7:00 PM – 9:00 PM MT
Rooster Bar & Kitchen
10732 82 Ave (Whyte Ave)
Edmonton

Free!

About Edmonton Pub Night: Edmonton Pub Nights take place on the third Wednesday of the month at Rooster Bar & Kitchen on Whyte Avenue, Edmonton. The venue is accessible by wheelchair through the front entrance. There is paid parking available on Whyte Avenue through the City of Edmonton and various commercial lots as well as for free in some surrounding neighbourhoods.

You do not need to be a member of the Writers’ Guild of Alberta to read at the open mic. All genres are welcome, but spots are limited. Sign-up begins at 7:00 PM MT, and we do our best to give everyone a chance to read by asking that you please keep your reading to three minutes or less.

We are one week away from Speak Up YYC's next feature and open mic night! Speak Up YYC is a free community open mic and ...
06/18/2026

We are one week away from Speak Up YYC's next feature and open mic night! Speak Up YYC is a free community open mic and feature series in Calgary that takes place once a month.

June 25, 2026
5:30 PM – 7:30 PM MT
SANTJURI BUKS in Marlborough Mall
Unit 34, 3800 Memorial Drive N.E
Calgary

Featuring the inimitable John Williamson AKA Dr. John: John Williamson is a neurodivergent, bi, settler poet who tries to embrace the Emily Dickinson philosophy, “tell all the truth but tell it slant”.

Speak Up YYC is supported by the Writers' Guild of Alberta.

*Notice: The Deadline for getting your AGM Proxy in to the WGA is TODAY, June 18, 2026! The WGA 2026 Annual General Meet...
06/18/2026

*Notice: The Deadline for getting your AGM Proxy in to the WGA is TODAY, June 18, 2026!

The WGA 2026 Annual General Meeting will be held online during the evening of June 22, 2026. Members are entitled to vote on WGA motions, get updates from the Board & staff on the WGA’s work, and run in WGA Board elections for volunteer positions. The AGM is free and open to all WGA members in good standing.

In the event you are not able to attend the AGM, you may assign your vote to a proxy, another member who may vote on your behalf. Proxy assignments must be submitted to the WGA by Thursday, June 18, 2026 using the Proxy Form on our website and emailed to [email protected]. Verbal proxy assignments are not valid.

Board nominations and seconding motions may be put forth at the AGM by WGA members who are in good standing with the consent of the nominee.

The WGA Annual Report and Package are all available to read online now.

You can download the proxy form and read the AGM package here: https://writersguild.ca/agm2026/

We are still looking for volunteers to fill only 9 more shifts for our summer Casino Fundraiser! Casino Fundraisers are ...
06/18/2026

We are still looking for volunteers to fill only 9 more shifts for our summer Casino Fundraiser! Casino Fundraisers are a unique funding model available to nonprofits and charities in Alberta only, where our volunteers staff casino duties and the WGA gets a share of the profits in exchange.

Each shift brings in over $1500 for the WGA's operations, helping us keep programs as low-cost and accessible as possible.

This year's fundraiser takes place in Edmonton at the West Edmonton Mall's Starlight Casino from July 30 - July 31, 2026.

Each volunteer will receive a meal and snacks on shift, WGA membership, and transportation will be reimbursed. Sign up today: https://writersguild.ca/wga-2026-casino-night-fundraiser-call-for-volunteers-edmonton/

Grande Prairie, we are headed your way with a free in-person workshop facilitated by Regional Writer-in-Residence David ...
06/17/2026

Grande Prairie, we are headed your way with a free in-person workshop facilitated by Regional Writer-in-Residence David van Belle! David will be presenting Dambusters: Non-traditional Techniques to Crack Writer’s Block and Bust Open Your Practice. Using techniques developed through 20 years of devised theatre practice, award-winning playwright David van Belle leads a workshop to help you get out of your mind and back into your instincts. Intended for writers of any genre and at any stage of development, the workshop focuses on character development and voice, embracing randomness and surprise as resources for creating writing that is lively and unique.

July 25, 2026
2:00 PM – 4:00 PM MT
Grande Prairie Public Library
9839 103 Ave Unit 101
Grande Prairie, AB

This is a free event (registration is appreciated but walk-ins welcome)!

About David van Belle: David is an Edmonton-based writer whose works for the theatre include The Highest Step in the World, GIANT, The Last Voyage of Donald Crowhurst (all with Eric Rose at Ghost River Theatre), Liberation Days (Theatre Calgary) and BUZZ JOB! The True Story of Cal Cavendish (One Yellow Rabbit’s High Performance Rodeo). His first book of poetry, Reg’s Trees, based on paintings by Reg Knelsen, was published by B House Press. He has been nominated four times for the Gwen Pharis Ringwood Prize in playwriting, finally winning in 2022, and last year one of his short stories was nominated for an Alberta Magazine Award. David has been Writer-in-Residence for the Edmonton Public Library, Playwright-in-Residence at Alberta Theatre Projects, an ensemble member of One Yellow Rabbit and Creator-in-Residence for Ghost River Theatre. His 1940s-era adaptation of A Christmas Carol is currently running annually at the Citadel Theatre in Edmonton.

Register here:
https://writersguild.ca/dambusters-non-traditional-techniques-to-crack-writers-block-and-bust-open-your-practice-grande-prairie/

*This post has been re-posted with a correction.

The WGA is pleased to announce that three WestWord Contributors have been selected as finalists for the 2025/2026 Albert...
06/17/2026

The WGA is pleased to announce that three WestWord Contributors have been selected as finalists for the 2025/2026 Alberta Magazine Awards:

Myrna Kostash, Essay, "Dialogues on War — Sometimes The Best Defence Is A Book."
Jason Norman, Essay, "Nobody Wants This — Creativity Isn't As Safe From AI As We Think."
Katie Bickell, Feature Writing Short, "The Art Of Ghostwriting — Telling Someone Else's Story And Owning Your Own."

For more information on the Alberta Magazine Awards, you can visit:
https://albertamagazines.com/awards/. Winners will be announced September 17.

Congratulations to the finalists!

To all of our youth writers: there are still spots left at WordsWorth this summer! WordsWorth is the WGA's annual youth ...
06/17/2026

To all of our youth writers: there are still spots left at WordsWorth this summer! WordsWorth is the WGA's annual youth writing summer camp. Writers get to experience the benefits of community and camaraderie at WordsWorth: having accommodation in a dorm room, taking group meals in the cafeteria, and taking part in evening social activities with other campers.

This year's camp is at Red Deer Polytechnic campus, and our theme is Mythsmiths (designed by our own WordsWorth faculty and team member, Marin Perlette!)

Camp runs for two weeks this July:
Week 1 (Ages 11-14): July 19 – 24, 2026
Week 2 (Ages 15 – 19): July 26 – 31, 2026

While there are no bursaries left this year, our camp offers the best rate we can for five days away, with all meals and activities covered:
Regular Rate: $725

We have a full camp FAQ on our website and registration page, where you can learn more about camp faculty, activities, and what to pack for your week away!

https://writersguild.ca/wordsworth

One week away! We are headed to the Olds Library for a workshop with Lee Kvern: Bring the Light Bulb to Your Writing. Re...
06/16/2026

One week away! We are headed to the Olds Library for a workshop with Lee Kvern: Bring the Light Bulb to Your Writing. Registration is free but appreciated!

Lee will let you in on epiphanies and other grand fiction tidbits that you can incorporate into your own work!

June 20, 2026
1:00 PM – 3:00 PM MT
Olds Library
5217 52 St
Olds, Alberta

https://writersguild.ca/bring-the-light-bulb-to-your-writing-olds/

Calgary, see you tomorrow at the next edition of Poetry Parlour! Open mic sign-up starts at 7:00 PM. There are limited s...
06/16/2026

Calgary, see you tomorrow at the next edition of Poetry Parlour! Open mic sign-up starts at 7:00 PM. There are limited slots available and will be filled on a first come, first served basis. Our feature this June is Patricia C!

June 16, 2026
7:00 PM – 9:15 PM MT
Pachamama Soul Flavour Emporium
2110, 380 Canyon Meadows Drive SE
Calgary
Free!

Patricia C is a Métis writer from Calgary, Alberta. She enjoys many forms of art, and started writing fantastical stories at a young age. Her princesses always befriended the dragons and found the knights annoying. These days, Patricia likes to write poems and can often be found reading history books.

Address

11759 Groat Road NW
Edmonton, AB
T5M3K6

Telephone

780-422-8174

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