The Winnipeg International Writers Festival is a charitable non-profit organization which promotes reading and literacy in Manitoba by curating the annual THIN AIR festival and showcasing writers throughout the year.

Coming Up

  • Writes of Spring 2024 Call for Submissions!

    Writes of Spring, a poetry initiative of the Winnipeg International Writers Festival led by Winnipeg writer Ariel Gordon in partnership with the Winnipeg Free Press, is just around the corner!

    This year, Writes of Spring is working with the City of Winnipeg’s Winnipeg 150 theme, “Our shared stories. Our shared future.” Winnipeg 150 marks the anniversary of the first meeting of city council in January 1874. We are open to any interpretation of this theme.

    Here are some basic reminders:
    * You must be a Winnipeg resident to submit;
    * You may submit up to five poems IN ONE DOCUMENT, in English or French. Each poem must be 30 lines or less;
    * You must provide a short bio (30 words or less);
    * By submitting to Writes of Spring, you are agreeing to be photographed, have your work published in the Winnipeg Free Press on April 27, and perform at a Writes of Spring launch at McNally Robinson Booksellers on April 28 at 2:00 pm. Selected poets will receive $75.
    * The deadline to submit is April 1, 2024.

    Submit here!

    Gordon and co-editor Julian Day are looking forward to reviewing all submissions, and will provide thoughtful editorial engagement with all poets accepted into this year’s group.

    Please understand that submissions invariably outnumber potential spaces!

    Writes of Spring is committed to a diversity of voices: emerging, PoC, urban, spoken word, Indigenous, established, rural, Black, 2SLGBTQ+, newcomers, and page poets.

    Questions? Please contact WritesofSpring@thinairwinnipeg.ca.

    *

    Julian Day is a software developer and poet, and the author of the chapbooks Orbits (Model Press) and Late Summer Flowers (Anstruther Press). His work has appeared most recently in CV2 and the Antigonish Review.

    Ariel Gordon (she/her) is a Winnipeg/Treaty 1 territory-based writer, editor, and enthusiast. Her fifth book, Siteseeing: Writing nature & climate change across the prairies, written in collaboration with Saskatchewan poet Brenda Schmidt, was published by At Bay Press in fall 2023 and was recently shortlisted for a 2024 Saskatchewan Book Award.

  • THIN AIR KIDS 2024 IS HAPPENING DURING THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY!

    THIN AIR KIDS 2024 is happening during the month of February for I Love To Read Month! Stories are at the core of who we are. THIN AIR KIDS is a celebration of the best Canadian writing in English and French for kids of all ages! THIN AIR KIDS: investing in future writers, dreamers, leaders, […]

  • That’s a wrap on THIN AIR / Livres en fête 2023!

    That’s a wrap on THIN AIR / Livres en fête 2023! Huge thanks to our sponsors for making this year’s festival possible. Our month long book party relies on the support of donations and sponsorships from the community. We couldn’t do it without you! For sponsorship opportunities, send us an email!

More news ▸