Saskatoon Pride, in partnership with Saskatoon Public Library and the Saskatchewan Writers’ Guild, are pleased to present Still Here, Still Queer, Still Writing: A Pride Writing Contest.

This writing contest is open to 2SLGBTQ+ Saskatchewan residents (youth over 16 and adults) and is an opportunity to submit poetry and/or prose related to this year’s Saskatoon Pride theme: Still Here, Still Queer, in the following four categories:

• • Youth (ages 16-24) Poetry
  • Youth (ages 16-24) Prose (Fiction/Nonfiction)
  • Adult, Poetry
  • Adult, Prose (Fiction/Nonfiction)

CONTEST SUBMISSION DETAILS
Read the contest guidelines here before you submit your written piece. Once you have reviewed the guidelines, fill out the contest submission form and then email your written piece in .doc or .docx format to writingcontest@saskatoonpride.ca.

Send us original work that explores and celebrates the complexities of queer, trans and gender-diverse identity and resilience. The deadline to submit a piece is by Monday, June 7, 2021 no later than midnight.

Judges will consider the overall quality and the contest theme in their selections. Contest winners will be announced during the Wes Funk Memorial Pride Latté virtual event on Monday, June 14, 2021 (event starts at 7:00pm CST). Winners will each receive a $75 honorarium and will have an opportunity to read their work during a Saskatoon Pride event between June 15- 19, 2021. They will also have their work featured on the Saskatoon Pride Festival website.

Meet our Judges:

Ky Lapointe is a queer poet born and raised on Treaty 6 in Saskatoon. His work focuses on growing, strength through softness, and brevity. He competed nationally as part of the Write Out Loud team in 2017 and 2019 and on the Tonight It’s Poetry team in 2019. His poetry has been professionally published a handful of times and he’s published three chapbooks, Chez Moi in Saskatoon (2017), dreaming about strangers (2018), and a halloween special (2020), with more in the works. He has no connection to Saskatoon Pride and only juries contests with no financial barrier to entry.

Belinda Betker’s poetry collection, Phases was a 2020 finalist for two Saskatchewan Book Awards. Phases reveals a tomboy’s  journey through  eventual  coming out and performing as a drag king (Dyke van Dick).  Belinda’s poetry and haiku are also published in various anthologies, literary journals, and chapbooks. She lives in Saskatoon with her Australian wife and their rescue dog, a springer-spaniel/terrier cross. Belinda loves getting lost – in any good book, and in any new or second-hand bookstore – anytime, anywhere. 

For more information about the writing contest, please email Kasey Atcheynum at kasey@saskatoonpride.ca