 Message from the Executive DirectorHello BPAA members and colleagues, As you may be aware, the Alberta government introduced Bill 28 earlier this month. Amongst other changes, the bill proposes an amendment to the Libraries Act which would require public libraries to impose age-based restrictions on borrowing select materials. The BPAA shares the concerns raised by the library sector, and we communicated this to Minister Williams in a written letter. In that letter, we outlined our concerns, expressed our strong appreciation for the thoughtful and careful approach librarians take in building collections that serve their communities, and encouraged Minister Williams to work collaboratively with the library sector to address their concerns. I will continue to monitor the bill as it moves through the legislative process. Tomorrow I’m driving to Banff for the ATA’s English Language Arts Council Conference, where I'll be presenting a session on bringing local books into the classroom. My attendance is part of our outreach strategy for the Alberta Books for Schools collection, and I am excited for the opportunity to connect directly with teachers and speak about this valuable resource. We will also have a booth in the exhibition hall—thank you to everyone who donated books for this display. In celebration of Canadian Independent Bookstore Day on Saturday, April 25th, the BPAA sent Read Alberta swag to 17 bookstores across the province. If you purchase an Alberta book on Saturday, you might get a special surprise! All the best, Megan Bishop Association NewsUpcoming Webinar: Funding Opportunities with Canada Council for the ArtsThe BPAA is pleased to announce the rescheduled dates for the upcoming PD sessions, Funding Opportunities with Canada Council for the Arts, presented by Francine Cunningham, consultant with Canada Council. To address the unique needs of our members, we have two sessions scheduled and you are encouraged to register for the one you feel is most appropriate, based on your previous CCA funding.
If you plan on attending, please register by 4:30PM MT on Wednesday, May 13. In each session, Canada Council for the Arts Alberta Focus Initiative Artist Liaison Consultant Francine Cunningham will discuss what opportunities are available through CCA, as well as ways to make your application stand out, and more detail on peer assessment committees. Sessions will include time for Q&A. The CCA’s Alberta Focus Initiative is a two-year commitment that aims to strengthen engagement and collaboration with Alberta’s vibrant arts community. This event is free and limited to members of the BPAA. BPAA Members Spotlight
Please share your award announcements, interviews, and other big news with us so that we can feature it in future newsletters! Please note: The Book Publishers Association of Alberta staff are working from home on Mondays and Fridays, with in-person office hours Tuesday–Thursday. Industry NewsNow Hiring
Industry Events and AnnouncementsCanadian Independent Bookstore Day 2026Applications are now open for the Calgary Arts Development Project Grant – Organizations program, providing one-time project funding to registered non-profit arts organizations in Calgary. The deadline to apply is Wednesday, May 6, 2026.
Projects can include research, creation, development, production, presentation or dissemination of artistic work, or the development of new or adapted approaches to an organization’s operations or administration. Visit the CADA website for more information. Call for Submissions: Indigenous Books for SchoolsThe 2026–27 submissions for Indigenous Books for Schools are now open. Canadian Publishers Condemn Alberta’s Proposed Restrictions on Public Library MaterialsThe Association of Canadian Publishers (ACP), the Canadian Publishers’ Council (CPC), and the Literary Press Group of Canada (LPG) have released a statement addressing the latest legislation proposed by the Government of Alberta that would restrict access to certain books in public libraries. Under the proposed legislation in Bill 28, materials deemed to contain visual depictions of sexual activity could be removed from general circulation and placed behind counters or in restricted areas, limiting access for those aged 15 and under. Manitoba Book Awards to Resume in 2026After a two-year hiatus, the Manitoba Book Awards are back and open for submissions. The Manitoba Book Awards recognize the excellent books written and published in this province and have showcased the best in Manitoba writing since 1989. Winners receive a cash prize and are honoured at a public ceremony. It was announced in 2024 that the awards would cease to operate after several years of struggles with sustainability. The mantle has been taken up by an independent board of writers and arts workers who are determined to see the awards continue to thrive. They have formed a non-profit organization, Manitoba Book Awards Inc., to oversee the awards. Upcoming EventsApril 22, 2026: Durvile & UpRoute's Jared Tailfeathers at the Imagination Writers' Festival | Festival d'écrivain[e]s (Québec) April 24, 2026: University of Calgary Press Book Launch: We Survived Until We Could Live (Edmonton) April 28, 2026: University of Alberta Press Literary Editions May 2, 2026: HummingByrd House Book Launch: Martha Cream Cheese! A very special day! (Edmonton) May 7–8, 2026: 2026 ABC Copyright Conference May 14, 2026: Durvile & UpRoute Book Launch Event: The Headache Files: True Tales and Real Relief May 14, 2026: Double Book Launch: We Survived Until We Could Live (University of Calgary Press) and Wound Archive (Calgary) May 21, 2026: Renegade Arts Entertainment Book Launch: Grande Prairie with an E (Edmonton) May 26, 2026: University of Calgary Press Book Launch: Beneficiary (Calgary) June 1–3, 2026: WBRA June Book Fair June 4–5, 2026: Paris Book Market June 11, 2026: Durvile & UpRoute Book Launch Event: See-Me Street: My Indigenous Homeless Journey June 22–26, 2026: 2026 Seoul International Book Fair September 1–30, 2026: Alberta Culture Days October 7–11, 2026: Frankfurt Book Fair The BPAA, Edmonton Arts Council, and Calgary Arts Development all maintain calendars of upcoming arts and culture events. To submit events please email eacweekly@edmontonarts.ca, or use the submission forms for Calgary Arts Development and the BPAA. Awards, Grants, and Submission DeadlinesMay 1, 2026: Governor General’s Literary Awards (for books published between July 1, 2025 to April 30, 2026) May 4, 2026: Nominations for the Summer CIBA The Booksellers’ List Closes May 6, 2026: Project Grant Program – Organizations (Calgary Arts Development) May 13, 2026: Nancy Flight Writers’ Trust Prize for Nonfiction Editing June 1, 2026: Invent & Adapt Grant (Edmonton Arts Council) June 1, 2026: Book Publishers Operating Grant (Alberta Media Fund) June 24, 2026: Atwood Gibson Writers’ Trust Fiction Prize (for books published between April 15, 2026 and September 30, 2026) June 24, 2026: Balsillie Prize for Public Policy (for books published between April 15, 2026 and September 30, 2026) June 24, 2026: Hilary Weston Writers’ Trust Prize for Nonfiction (for books published between April 15, 2026 and September 30, 2026) June 24, 2026: Dayne Ogilvie Prize for LGBTQ2S+ Emerging Writers (for books published between April 15, 2026 and September 30, 2026) July 6, 2026: Nominations for the Fall CIBA The Booksellers’ List Closes July 8, 2026: Nancy Flight Writers’ Trust Prize for Nonfiction Editing October 7, 2026: Professional Arts Organizations Operating Grant Program (Calgary Arts Development) Ongoing: Alberta Export Expansion Program (Government of Alberta) Edmonton's Bestselling BooksFICTION
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* Alberta Author + Alberta Publisher Edmonton Bestseller List Week Ending 2026-04-19 Thank you to Audreys Books, Magpie Books, and Paper Birch Books for providing sales data, and to the Taproot Edmonton Arts Roundup who distributes the list each week. Calgary's Bestselling BooksFICTION
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* Alberta Author + Alberta Publisher
Reading ListBOOKstore Economics (NPR’s Planet Money) The nuances of online book marketing in 2026 (BookNet Canada) Independent bookstores make quiet comeback as big chains dominate retail (The Guardian) Canadian-authored, -published book sales up in 2025: BookNet report (Quill & Quire) Quote of the BiWeek“I think books are like people, in the sense that they’ll turn up in your life when you most need them.” — Emma Thompson Copyright © 2026 Book Publishers Association of Alberta, All rights reserved. The Book Publishers Association of Alberta is grateful for the support of our funders: |
