On September 8, 2022, the Griffin Poetry Prize became, by its own estimation, the largest prize in the world for a single book of poetry in English. Previously, the organization had administered an international award and a Canadian one, each valued at $65,000. Winners of the latter have included Toronto’s Christian Bök, the avant-garde darling behind the bestselling collection Eunoia, and Saskatchewan native Karen Solie, whose work is now released by presses in the UK and the US. But the category that helped establish their reputations will no longer exist. Henceforth, there will be a single award of $130,000, open to writers worldwide. The Canadian stream is to be eliminated.
Fallout on social media was swift. Montreal poet Sina Queyras condemned the change on Twitter as an example of “toxic individualism” that focused on “celebrating and centering the few.” Kenzie Allen, a poet who teaches at York University, went further, pondering whether “the trustees actively want to suppress Canadian authors/poetry.” Commentators lamented the loss of exposure and opportunity, given the role the award played in securing grants and jobs. Some expressed their desire for community over competition, while others despaired that the new format would primarily benefit American or British poets.
