With travel to the U.S. being deemed “as only necessary” by the Society of Canadian Academics, AWP is no longer a safe and viable option for many marginalized authors. In lieu of this, we are hosting a creative writing, publishing and pedagogy conference at the University of Winnipeg from May 27-29, 2026. This conference is being organized and hosted by Celiese Lypka and Lindsay Wong, Associate Professors from the University’s English department.

Confirmed keynote speakers include Stephanie Sinclair, Publisher of McClelland & Stewart/Penguin Random House, and Cody Caetano, literary agent at CookeMcDermide and award-winning author of Half-Bads in White Regalia.

We are seeking proposals for pre-organized panels, workshops, readings, and book presentations from emerging and established creative writers, author-instructors, editors, agents, freelance publicists, publishers of small independent presses, and/or MFA/MA students in creative writing and literary studies.

The proposed topics should be related to the craft of writing, the process of writing and editing, book publishing, and/or creative writing pedagogy.

All proposals must meet the following criteria:

● include a title, description, and 250-word statement of value (i.e., what will audience members learn from your event?)
● be correctly categorized (panel, workshop, reading and Q&A, book presentation etc.)
● bios for panel participants (2-5, including the moderator)
● be sixty minutes long

Proposals are due by February 5, 2026, at 11:59 PM CT. Submit your proposal here: https://forms.gle/dsXfY6ZnDTWrsYSL8

Conference Registration Fees*

-$200 registration fee for regular attendees
-$150 registration fee for presenters
-$50 registration fee for students or low-income community members
-Free for current UWinnipeg students and faculty members of UW’s English department

* Please note that we have tried to keep registration fees accessible. Fees include the option to participate in open mic readings.