April 19, 2005 -

OTTAWA (Ontario) -- Alberta Scene, the National Arts Centre’s arts and culture festival, is kicking off its celebration of Alberta literature with a bang.

On April 29, we will announce the recipient of the esteemed Grant MacEwan Author’s Award and host a reading with the winner and finalists at Library and Archives Canada. The $25,000 prize is named after the late Lieutenant Governor of Alberta and former Calgary mayor who authored more than 50 books.

This year’s finalists are:

• Shree Ghatage of Calgary for Brahma’s Dream. Published by Doubleday Canada
• Linda Goyette of Edmonton for Edmonton In Our Own Words. Published by the University of Alberta Press
• Greg Hollingshead of Edmonton for Bedlam. Published by Harper Collins
• Tyler Trafford of Calgary for The Story of Blue Eye. Published by Thistledown Press

 The other short-listed authors will each receive $1,000.

Alberta Scene will also feature readings by some of the province’s most interesting and acclaimed authors. On May 5 at Library and Archives Canada, the award-winning Shani Mootoo, author of Cereus Blooms at Night, will read from her most recent novel, He Drown She in the Sea, a vivid and subtle story of love and class division and the unrelenting hold of the past.

Also that night, hear Edmonton’s own Marci Denesiuk read from The Far Away Home, a book that peels away the surface of women’s lives to reveal the demons within.

“Library and Archives Canada is pleased to be able to bring these writers to meet Ottawa readers,” said Randall Ware, manager of cultural programs for Library and Archives Canada.

“Writing from Alberta, like all good writing, is about both a particular place and about universal conditions and emotions. They are telling our stories.”

“We are so pleased with the wonderful writers who will be here, because they are truly some of Alberta’s finest,” said Alberta Scene producer and executive director Heather Moore. “Readers should seize this rare opportunity to get up close and personal with them and hear their stories.”

THE EVENTS

Grant MacEwan Author’s Award: Reading
Featuring this year’s recipient
Fri, April 29, 19:30
Library and Archives Canada, Room A

Celebrate the fifth anniversary of the $25,000 Grant MacEwan Author’s Award, one of the richest library awards in Canada with a reading by this year’s recipient, who will be announced that afternoon. Founded shortly after MacEwan’s death in 2000, the Grant MacEwan Literary Awards were created by the Alberta government to honour and commemorate the lifelong achievements and literary excellence of one of Alberta’s leading citizens. Previous winners include Governor General’s award nominee Fred Stenson and Writers’ Trust Drainie-Taylor Biography Prize winner Ken McGoogan.

Admission: Free

Alberta Authors 1
Shani Mootoo and Marci Denesiuk read from recent books
Thu, May 5, 19:30
Library and Archives Canada, Room A

He Drown She in the Sea is the long-awaited new novel by Shani Mootoo, the award-winning author of Cereus Blooms at Night. The novel, set in the Caribbean, is a vivid and subtle story of love and class division and the unrelenting hold of the past. This is Edmonton resident Ms. Mootoo’s only appearance in Eastern Canada on the publication of this much anticipated novel. The Far Away Home is Edmonton native Marci Denesiuk’s first book. Her stories peel away the surface of women’s lives to reveal the demons within. A writer to watch. An autograph session with the authors will follow.

Admission: Free

Alberta Authors 2
Fred Stenson, Suzette Mayr and Sid Marty read from recent works
Mon, May 9, 19:30
Library and Archives Canada, Auditorium

Fred Stenson, author of 10 books, is one of Canada’s foremost chroniclers of the western historical experience. Suzette Mayr has published three novels, using humour to challenge conventional notions of racial and sexual identity. Sid Marty’s poetry, non-fiction and storytelling have earned him a well-deserved reputation as one of Alberta’s finest writers. An autograph session with the authors will follow.

Presented by Library and Archives Canada
Admission: Free

Péteux de Bretelles
(storytelling, in French)
Gilbert Bérubé (Les Twés), Roger Dallaire
Mon, May 2, 20 :00
National Arts Centre, Fourth Stage

This duo of « bons vivants » artists from Northern Alberta is sure to please with their unique and often humourous French storytelling.

Tickets: $15
Presented with the support of the Canada Council for the Arts

Speaking of Alberta: An Evening of Spoken Word Artists
Featuring Sheri-D Wilson, Kris Demeanor, DJ Cosm
Sat, May 7, 20:00
National Arts Centre, Fourth Stage

These artists are all unique talents in the realm of spoken word, from beat poetry to hip-hop. Sheri-D Wilson’s style is rich with jazz, feminist sensibility and wit. Calgary native Kris Demeanor is a performer capable of wide-ranging styles, from thoughtful to frantic. DJ Cosm, half of Dragon Fli Empire, is one of Canada’s hottest DJs.

Tickets: $15

Poetry in Motion
Ottawa-area buses will be on the move with Alberta poetry. Works by Alberta poets will be featured in OC Transpo buses during Alberta Scene. Watch for outstanding Alberta poetry on buses all over the city—and get ready to add a little inspiration to your commute.

Poetry in Motion is presented with the support of the Canada Council for the Arts, the Edmonton Arts Council, OC Transpo and the City of Ottawa.

All events at Library and Archives Canada are free. Tickets for other events are available in person at the NAC box office, through Ticketmaster (613) 755-1111 or through the Alberta Scene Web site, www.albertascene.ca.

The National Arts Centre’s Alberta Scene is the second in a series of biennial regional festivals to take place in the nation’s capital which will showcase the best in Canadian arts and culture from coast to coast to coast. Six hundred established and emerging artists from Alberta will take part in over 95 events ranging from theatre, visual arts, film, and literature, to country, Aboriginal, pop and classical music – and even culinary arts. For 13 days beginning April 28, 2005, and ending on May 10, 2005, it will be as if Alberta has moved to the nation’s capital.

Alberta Scene is presented by EPCOR and supported by Major Sponsors TSX Venture Exchange, The Banff Centre, and National Arts Centre Friends - Alberta. Performance Sponsors are Enbridge, CIBC,  Suncor Energy Inc. and Capital Health. Media sponsors include CBC Radio-Canada, the National Post, the Ottawa Citizen, LeDroit, the Edmonton Journal, the Calgary Herald, and Y1O1 FM. Supporting Sponsors include Edmonton Festival City, Galaxie, CD Warehouse, mymusic.ca, Holiday Inn, Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporation, and Big Rock Brewery.

Alberta Scene is grateful for support from the Government of Canada, the Government of Alberta, the Canada Council for the Arts, Western Economic Diversification Canada, and Foreign Affairs Canada.

For ticket information or to view the full Alberta Scene line-up of performers, as well as the time and date of shows and activities, please visit www.albertascene.ca.

For information, please contact:
Mary Gordon
Communications Advisor, National Arts Centre
(613) 947-7000, ext. 5244