 Message from the Executive DirectorHello BPAA members and colleagues, Last week I attended the ACP’s Spring Conference in Victoria, BC. They had a full 2 days of programming, which included sessions on planning in a time of crisis, working with independent booksellers, marketing strategies, emerging issues in AI, and much more. I also had the opportunity to connect with staff from the Canada Book Fund and Canada Council for the Arts, as well as publishers and staff from associations across Canada. It was a reinvigorating two days, in which I took copious notes and left feeling inspired. There is something different about gathering in-person to connect, learn, and support one another. While I was away, Jackie and Candace finished the marathon of jury meetings for our awards gala. Keep an eye out for the shortlist announcement, which will be released mid-June. And Justin has been diligent in confirming our conference programming and presenters. Registration will open in mid-July. A reminder that Gabriel Zamfir-Enache, Director, and Marissa McHugh, Program Officer, of the Canada Council for the Arts’ Supporting Artistic Practice Program will be visiting Edmonton and Calgary on June 24 and June 26, respectively. BPAA members are highly encouraged to schedule a meeting with them to discuss funding challenges and opportunities. The booking link was shared by email, but please reach out if you need it resent. Finally, Read Alberta’s Summer Reading Challenge has officially launched! This bingo-style reading adventure invites you to explore Alberta’s incredible literary scene while competing with your friends, strangers, and reading rivals. We’ve partnered with local businesses this year to offer great prizes to the winner. Download your bingo card here. All the best, Megan Bishop Association News BPAA Members Spotlight
Please share your award announcements, interviews, and other big news with us so that we can feature it in future newsletters! RMB Update: Don Gorman Returns Full-TimeThe team at Rocky Mountain Books is thrilled to share some wonderful news with our friends in the Alberta publishing community. Our publisher, Don Gorman, has officially returned to work full-time following a life threatening skull fracture and traumatic brain injury sustained this past November 2025. After six months of intensive recovery, Don is feeling incredibly positive and is back to directing active publishing operations at RMB. In addition to guiding our upcoming seasonal lists, he has resumed his book publishing industry advocacy work as an active member of the Association of Canadian Publishers (ACP) board of directors. This return comes at a momentous time as Rocky Mountain Books prepares to celebrate its upcoming 50th anniversary. We're eager to connect with our peers across the province over the coming months to collaborate, share stories, and celebrate our collective resilience. If there are upcoming bookish gatherings being held, we hope to see you there. We extend our deepest gratitude to everyone in the Alberta publishing community who reached out to Don and the RMB staff with kind words, support, and well wishes during a challenging period. We look forward to reengaging with the BPAA with renewed vigour very soon! 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 AnnouncementsPW Call: Travel Books FeaturePublishers Weekly has an open call for a Travel Books feature for their August 10 Issue. This feature will cover new travel guides, narrative travel nonfiction, travel reference books, and other travel nonfiction. Pub. dates: August 2026 through January 2027. New titles and adult books only, please; no reprints, children's, or YA. Guidebook publishers: please prioritize first edition guides. The submission deadline is Thursday, June 18. Fill out this Google Form to submit your titles. Fifty Years of All of Baba’s Children: A SymposiumThe Ukrainian Resource and Development Centre (URDC) and the Faculty of Fine Arts and Communication at MacEwan University invite you to a symposium celebrating Myrna Kostash and the enduring impact of her work. The dynamic program will bring together scholars, writers and community voices to explore the enduring legacy of Myrna Kostash’s All of Baba’s Children.
The day will begin with a continental breakfast and an opening session featuring remarks, a screening of Myrna Kostash: Here, and a conversation with Myrna Kostash. The symposium will then continue with a series of panels exploring the book’s legacy, evolving cultural identities, and questions of public memory and reconciliation. The day will conclude with a celebratory reception at the Alberta Council for the Ukrainian Arts (ACUA). This symposium offers a rare opportunity to engage deeply with questions of heritage, identity, memory and cultural expression – issues that remain as vital today as they were when Kostash’s groundbreaking book first appeared. View the full program and register on the Symposium Website. Open letter to the arts community from the Canada Council Director and CEOAt a pivotal moment for the arts, Canada Council of the Arts Director and CEO Michelle Chawla’s latest open letter to the arts community shares how the Canada Council is making decisions today for the future of the arts ecosystem, and how, together with the community, they can build a stronger and more vibrant future. Read the full letter on the Canada Council of the Arts website. EAC 2026 Public Survey HighlightsThe Edmonton Arts Council has released their 2026 public survey highlights. Check out the 2026 Public Survey highlights on the EAC blog. The EAC is also asking you to join the conversation and share your story about the arts - how they've made a difference in your life, what arts funding means to you, and what we gain as a City when we fund the arts in Edmonton. If the arts have ever made you feel more connected to Edmonton, fill out this survey. Association of Canadian Publishers Announces 2026 Award RecipientsThe Association of Canadian Publishers (ACP) has announced that Jack David, founder and publisher at ECW Press, is the recipient of the 2026 President’s Award. ACP has also announced that journalist and longtime champion of Canadian literature Steven Beattie has been presented with an honorary lifetime membership in the association. This year’s awards were presented in conjunction with ACP’s Spring Conference, which took place in Victoria on May 26–27, 2026. Read more on the ACP website. Upcoming EventsJune 4–5, 2026: Paris Book Market June 7, 2026: HummingByrd House Book Signing: Martha Cream Cheese (Calgary) June 8, 2026: Edmonton Arts Council AGM June 11, 2026: Durvile & UpRoute Book Launch Event: See-Me Street: My Indigenous Homeless Journey July 11, 2026: Fifty Years of All of Baba’s Children: A Symposium June 18, 2026: Association of Canadian Publishers AGM 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 DeadlinesJune 10, 2026: Creative Export Canada’s 2026–2027 Export-Ready Stream 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 2026-05-31 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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Reading ListOpen Road to Publish E-book Editions of Choose Your Own Adventure Titles (Publishers Weekly) Strategies for streamlining ONIX creation (BookNet Canada) The Rise of the Sensitivity Reader (The Nation) Quote of the BiWeek"Reading should not be presented to children as a chore, a duty. It should be offered as a gift." — Kate DiCamillo Copyright © 2026 Book Publishers Association of Alberta, All rights reserved. The Book Publishers Association of Alberta is grateful for the support of our funders: |
