Guy Vanderhaeghe To Be Awarded Harbourfront Festival Prize

Toronto, September 28, 2005—A jury composed of Susan G. Cole, Senior Entertainment Editor of NOW magazine, Geoffrey Taylor, Director of International Readings at Harbourfront and Carolyn Weaver, Host/Producer of Fine Print Television has selected Guy Vanderhaeghe as this year’s Harbourfront Festival Prize recipient. “Guy Vanderhaeghe has made an outstanding contribution to Canadian letters with wonderful books like The Englishman’s Boy and The Last Crossing. He is also a dedicated educator, offering his skills to a new generation of Canadian writers at the University of Saskatchewan” said Mr. Taylor just prior to a cocktail party celebrating the 2005 International Festival of Authors. “I am delighted that we will present this award to such a worthy recipient.”

Inaugurated in 1984, to honour individuals who have made a substantial contribution to the world of books and writing, the Harbourfront Festival Prize was reinvented in 2003 as a cash award of $10,000 accompanied by a commemorative artwork by a Canadian designer. Mr. Vanderhaeghe will receive a bowl by Gordon Webster, a Harbourfront Centre Craft Studio Resident, courtesy of Bounty. Previous winners include Nicole Brossard, Timothy Findley Michael Ondaatje and Linda Spalding. The Prize will be awarded on the closing night of the International Festival of Authors at a gala event in Harbourfront Centre’s Premiere Dance Theatre featuring Readings by the 2005 Giller Prize Shortlist.

This year’s Festival also introduces a number of special events including the PEN Canada Benefit, Readings by the Governor General’s Literary Award English Fiction Shortlist and a gallery presentation of comics and graphic novels. Imaged Text runs September 16 through November 6 in the York Quay Gallery and features work by more than one hundred graphic novelists, authors and illustrators. The exhibit strives to reveal the influence of graphic novels in a historical, local and global context while exploring the integration of images and text in a myriad of cultural commodities and creations.

For more information on the International Festival of Authors (October 19 – 29, 2005), The Harbourfront Festival Prize and Imaged Text the public may visit www.readings.org or call the Harbourfront Centre box office at 416.973.4000.

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Media Contacts:

International Readings
at Harbourfront Centre

Since its inception in 1974, International Readings has hosted more than 4,500 authors from 100 countries, including thirteen Nobel Laureates. International Readings provides Canadian authors an internationally recognized stage on which to present their work and brings the best of world literature to Canada. Our season includes weekly Readings, the annual International Festival of Authors (October 19 - 29, 2005) and ALOUD: a Celebration for Young Readers (February 13 – 19, 2006).