Summer reading in Montreal. Image – Getty: Cagkan Sayin
By Porter Anderson, Editor in Chief | @Porter_Anderson
“Competence development and growth”
BWhile Access Copyright in Canada may be the most embattled copyright management and licensing agency in the English-speaking world, Publish perspectives Readers know from our years of reporting on the impact of Canada’s ironically named Copyright Modernization Act of 2012.
However, there is a bright spot in the work of Access Copyright Foundation. The two far-flung organizations are so different that the foundation itself considers itself an “independent foundation” in terms of its connection to Access Copyright. And today (August 26), we have news of a new round of grants in which the foundation is awarding CAN$60,000 (US$44,457) to 27 publishers, creative organizations, and creative workers for the year 2024.
This news follows our coverage of Hawthornden Foundation grants awarded through the Community of Literary Magazines and Presses of the United States ($350,000) and through the National Book Foundation of the States (also $350,000).
Access Copyright Foundation grants are awarded through a peer-review process conducted by SK Arts on behalf of the Foundation. Judges for the 2024 Professional Development Grant program were Sally Ito, a writer and translator; Phoebe Tsang, a writer and violinist; and Shoshanna Wingate, an author.
Paul Seesequasis
Foundation Chairman Paul Seesequasis is quoted as saying: “Skills development and building is critical to ensuring Canada’s creative community can grow and thrive.
“I am pleased that the foundation is making another important investment in professional development.”
Recipients of the 2024 Access Copyright Foundation Grants
- Lareina Albertabot; Calgary, Alberta
- AfterWords Literature Festival; Halifax, Nova Scotia
- Marta Balcewicz; Toronto, Ontario
- Bibi Balkhi; Vancouver, British Columbia
- Adèle Barclay; Vancouver, British Columbia
- Jennifer Butler; Baltimore, Ontario
- Kate Bird; Vancouver, British Columbia
- Alberta Book Publishers Association; Edmonton, Alberta
- Lauren Carter; Saint Andrews, Manitoba
- Véronique Darwin; Rossland, British Columbia
- Paola Ferrante; Toronto, Ontario
- Stephanie Gibeault; Pickering, Ont
- Cornelia Hoogland; Hornby Island, British Columbia
- Alexandra Leslie; Vancouver, British Columbia
- Rayya Liebich; Nelson, British Columbia
- Jennifer LoveGrove; Millbrook, Ontario
- Sue MacLeod; Halifax, Nova Scotia
- Keriann McGoogan; Guelph, Ont
- Danielle Metcalfe Chenail; Whites Lake, Nova Scotia
- Nimbus Publishing Ltd.; Halifax, Nova Scotia
- Chelsea O’Byrne; Vancouver, British Columbia
- Owlkids Books Inc.; Toronto, Ontario
- Alena Papayanis; Toronto, Ontario
- The New Quarterly/Wild Writers Literary Festival; Waterloo, Ont
- Lesley Trites; Montreal, Ontario
- Patricia Westerhof; Toronto, Ontario
- Kathryn Zdybel; Thornbury, Ont
Since its inception, the Foundation has awarded over 300 professional development grants totaling approximately C$600,000 (US$444,214), which have been reinvested in Canadian creative professionals, publishers and the organizations that serve them, and support the publication of Canadian works.
The foundation has a website here.
For more information on Canada from Publishing Perspectives, click here, and for our coverage of Access Copyright’s work, click here.
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