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Spotlight

The photograph is a traditional Ukrainian embroidered blouse for women called vyshyvanka.
Credit: Pam Clark

Pam Clark

The Marian Hebb Research Grant enabled Pam Clark to deepen her understanding of the role of the Ukrainian Bookstore in 1914 Edmonton as a center of the community and its transformation during WW1. Pam is currently writing a sister novel to Kalyna (Stonehouse Publishing, 2016) featuring one of her earlier characters, Aya.

A photo of a traditional Ukrainian embroidered blouse for women called vyshyvanka.

A photo of (left to right) authors Denis Boucher and Kevin heronJones from Hackmatack's 2023 awards ceremony.
Kyle Miller, 2023

Hackmatack Children’s Choice Book Award

An Events Grant from Access Copyright Foundation for Hackmatack’s 2023 awards ceremony brought children’s authors and young books lovers together for a fun day of Canadian stories.

A photo of (left to right) authors Denis Boucher and Kevin heronJones.

 

A photo of playwright Andrea Scott during one of the events as part of the Guild’s reading series.
Credit: Larry Zacharko

Playwrights Guild of Canada

The Playwrights Guild of Canada’s Events Grant helped them to organize a series of readings in libraries, parks and other locales that featured the work of Canadian playwrights to mark the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Guild.

A photo of playwright Andrea Scott during one of the events as part of the Guild’s reading series.

Kathy Fisher reading her poem "footnotes margins minutes" at the book launch of "Legal History Essays."
Photo by Owen Egan

Kathy Fisher

Through an Access Copyright Foundation Professional Development Grant, Fisher was able to attend the Sage Hill Poetry Colloquium to work with Louise Bernice Halfe – Sky Dancer on a poetry manuscript. One of the poems, footnotes margins minutes, has been published in a collection celebrating the life of historian Blaine Baker.

A screenshot of Fisher at the book launch of Law, Life, and the Teaching of Legal History: Essays in Honour of G. Blaine Baker.

A photo representing the connection between animals and humans, a subject that author Liza Potvin is exploring a new short-story collection.
journalhow.com

Liza Potvin

Liza Potvin’s Professional Development Grant from Access Copyright Foundation enabled her to work with mentor Gail Anderson-Dargatz on an upcoming short-story collection about the weirdness of our human-animal connections.

A photo encapsulating the primary theme of Potvin’s upcoming short-story collection.

 

A photo of Chinese poet Qiu Jin.
Public Domain

Yilin Wang

An Access Copyright Foundation Marian Hebb Research Grant has aided Yilin Wang‘s work of translating the poetry of Chinese feminist poet Qiu Jin. Through the Grant, Wang has been able to research Qiu Jin’s life and poetry, key historical figures and women in her life who were important to her work as well as the moments in her life that most influenced her poetry.

An undated photo of Qiu Jin.

Funny Pages Society

Funny Pages Society

An Access Copyright Foundation Event Grant supported the Funny Pages Society‘s inaugural in-person Funny Pages Festival. Over two days in April 2022 at the Halifax Central Library, hundreds of elementary students and their teachers enjoyed hilarious live presentations by some of Canada’s funniest authors.  

A photo of author Sheree Fitch presenting at the 2022 Funny Pages Festival.

Lana Button

Lana Button

With the support of a Marian Hebb Research Grant, Lana Button was able to travel to New Brunswick and delve into the history of the building which houses the world’s oldest basketball court. This research will support her non-fiction book for young readers.

A photo of the St Stephen Basketball floor.

A photo of the UNBC Northern BC Archives & Special Collections, one of the places where Moni Brar was able to conduct important research.
Moni Brar

Moni Brar

The Marian Hebb Research Grant Moni Brar received enabled her to conduct field research as well as interviews as she works on a memoir, told through poetry, relating to the cross-generational experience of a Punjabi-Canadian family.

A photo of the UNBC Northern BC Archives & Special Collections, one of the places where Moni was able to conduct important research.

A picture of Clara Schumann, circa 1853,
Public Domain

Lori Hahnel

Lori Hahnel’s Marian Hebb Research Grant helped to facilitate research as she worked on a second draft of her upcoming novel on the life of composer and pianist Clara Schumann, pictured above.

A picture of Schumann, circa 1853.

 

A photo from a scrapbook in the Clifford Snyder (Carrie’s grandfather and Mennonite missionary) fonds at the Mennonite Archives of Ontario. The scrapbook dates from around 1947, and was created by Clifford's sisters, to memorialize his life and death.
Mennonite Archives of Ontario

Carrie Snyder

A Marian Hebb Research Grant enabled Carrie Snyder to visit the Mennonite Archives of Ontario in Waterloo, ON, for a new novel, a work of fiction inspired by her grandmother’s experience being the daughter of Mennonite missionaries.

A photo from a scrapbook in the Clifford Snyder (Carrie’s grandfather and Mennonite missionary) fonds at the Mennonite Archives of Ontario. The scrapbook dates from around 1947, and was created by Clifford’s sisters to memorialize his life and death.

 

Ayelet Tsabari is wearing a traditional Yemeni head covering at the home of her singing teacher. Ayelet received a Marian Hebb Research Grant from Access Copyright Foundation.
Ayelet Tsabari

Ayelet Tsabari

Ayelet Tsabari’s Marian Hebb Research Grant enabled her to investigate the history of Yemenite women’s songs for two projects: her upcoming novel as well as a series of poems on the topic.

A picture of Ayelet wearing a traditional Yemeni head covering at the home of her singing teacher.

Port Bickerton Lighthouse where Cooper Lee Braithwaite spent a two-week writer’s residency. Cooper Lee received a Professional Development Grant from Access Copyright Foundation.
Cooper Lee Bombardier

Cooper Lee Bombardier

Through the Professional Development Grant Cooper Lee Bombardier received from the Foundation in 2021, he was able to deepen his craft through a two-week writer’s residency at Nova Scotia’s Port Bickerton Lighthouse as well as two virtual creative writing workshops he attended.

The Port Bickerton Lighthouse, in a photo taken by Cooper during his residency there.

Eric Walters, the founder of I Read Canadian Day, is discussing his novel, Don’t Stand So Close to Me. CANSCAIP received an Events Grant from Access Copyright Foundation for the 2021 I Read Canadian Day.
Epilogue Productions

CANSCAIP

CANSCAIP’s Events Grant from Access Copyright Foundation in 2020 helped it to host the I Write Canadian Festival which occurred virtually during 2021’s I Read Canadian Day. The festival saw four videos (three in English, one in French) launched on YouTube featuring 20 children’s authors and illustrators.

Photo of author Eric Walters, the founder of I Read Canadian Day, discussing his novel, Don’t Stand So Close to Me (Orca Book Publishers).

Maria Sabaye is revising her manuscript during her time at Wallace Stegner House. Maria received a Marian Hebb Research Grant from Access Copyright Foundation.
Maria Saba

Maria Saba

Maria Saba’s Professional Development Grant helped to cover expenses related to a residency at Wallace Stegner House in Eastend, Saskatchewan as she worked on revising the first draft of her upcoming novel.

A snapshot of Maria revising her manuscript during her time at Wallace Stegner House.

A screenshot from the 2020 Festival of Literary Diversity, which received an Events Grant from Access Copyright Foundation.
The FOLD

The FOLD

Through the FOLD’s Events Grant from the Access Copyright in 2020, it helped ensure that the Festival could welcome over 30 authors from Canada and internationally to the Zoom platform for five days of dynamic literary events and discussions.

A screenshot from the 2020 edition of the Festival.

Author Danny Ramadan is reading from Salma the Syrian Chef during the 2020 Frye Festival, which received an Events Grant from Access Copyright Foundation.
Frye Festival

Frye Festival

Access Copyright Foundation’s 2020 Events Grant to the Frye Festival supported the creation of seven Story Time readings featuring English- and French-language Canadian writers that were made available on YouTube.

A screenshot of author Danny Ramadan, reading from Salma the Syrian Chef (Annick Press, 2020).

Maria Sabaye is revising her manuscript during her time at Wallace Stegner House. Maria received a Marian Hebb Research Grant from Access Copyright Foundation.
Maria Saba

Maria Saba

Maria Saba’s Professional Development Grant helped to cover expenses related to a residency at Wallace Stegner House in Eastend, Saskatchewan as she worked on revising the first draft of her upcoming novel.

A snapshot of Maria revising her manuscript during her time at Wallace Stegner House.

A screenshot from the 2020 Festival of Literary Diversity, which received an Events Grant from Access Copyright Foundation.
The Fold

Through the FOLD’s Events Grant from the Access Copyright in 2020, it helped ensure that the Festival could welcome over 30 authors from Canada and internationally to the Zoom platform for five days of dynamic literary events and discussions.

A screenshot from the 2020 edition of the Festival.
Author Danny Ramadan is reading from Salma the Syrian Chef during the 2020 Frye Festival, which received an Events Grant from Access Copyright Foundation.
Frye Festival

Frye Festival

Access Copyright Foundation’s 2020 Events Grant to the Frye Festival supported the creation of seven Story Time readings featuring English- and French-language Canadian writers that were made available on YouTube.

A screenshot of author Danny Ramadan, reading from Salma the Syrian Chef (Annick Press, 2020).

We’d love to hear from you!

An important part of Access Copyright Foundation’s work is celebrating the recipients of our grants, and the work that these grants have been able to facilitate.
We feature our grant recipients on our Spotlight page, and to also recognize their accomplishments on Access Copyright’s social-media channels.
Please send photos of your Access Copyright Foundation-funded activities and updates on the work you are undertaking by email anytime to info@accesscopyright.ca. Share them as well on social media tagging Access Copyright (@AccessCopyright).