Community

Each year, the Creative Writing Department publishes Pearls, an anthology of the best student writing. Submissions in all genres are solicited by instructors during the fall, winter and summer terms for publication the following March. The Pearls launch celebrates our talented students with an evening of readings and refreshments.

Throughout the year, the department presents readings and talks by a variety of Canadian writers. All are free and open to the public.

For one week each year, the department hosts a talented Indigenous writer for class visits and public reading and speaking events. This includes the annual Indigenous Voices event, an evening of poetry and prose, first organized by EVENT magazine. Past writers-in-residence have included Liz Howard and Richard Van Camp. This year's event, held in the spring, features award-winning Cree-Métis writer Carleigh Baker, who is a Douglas College alum. 

The Creative Writing Department is home to EVENT, one of Canada’s top literary magazines. Founded in 1971, the magazine prints the very best in contemporary new poetry and prose, including fiction, poetry, non-fiction, notes on writing and reviews. The magazine features emerging and established writers side-by-side in its pages. EVENT is published three times a year and hosts Canada’s longest running non-fiction contest.

After appearing in EVENT, writers have received recognition from the Journey Prize, the National Magazine Awards, the Western Magazine Awards, Best Canadian Stories, Best Canadian Poetry, Best Canadian Essays, and the Pushcart Prize. EVENT has published many of Canada’s most distinguished writers before and after they gained national or international recognition, and continues to support gifted emerging writers.

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