New Scholarship to be Awarded at Gay, Lesbian Literary Event
March 16, 2006 - News Release
The University of Guelph will present its first annual scholarship for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered (LGBT) studies March 26 at the 15th annual Wilde About Sappho, a national celebration of gay and lesbian literature that brings prize-winning and up-and-coming queer writers to a number of Canadian cities. This is the second year the literary festival has included Guelph in its national tour.
“Those who write and research queer subjects are still desperately in need of encouragement for work that is often still marginalized in our society,” said Sky Gilbert, a U of G drama professor. “This scholarship provides both emotional and financial support for students who dare to be more than just a little different.”
Co-hosted by U of G and the Lambda Foundation, the Guelph event begins at 2:30 p.m. at the Ebar, 41 Quebec St., at 2:30 p.m.
Lambda Foundation scholarships are the world’s first series of national, annual university scholarships in gay and lesbian studies and have been established at seven universities. The award is provided to encourage research on LBGT people and build bridges of understanding among gays and lesbians, other equality-seeking groups and Canadian society.
In addition to the award presentation, the Guelph event will feature a gala reception and readings by Gilbert and two other prominent Canadian queer writers: Emma Donoghue, Elizabeth Ruth and Peter Schaffter.
Among her credits, Donoghue is the author of Hood, which won the 1995 American Library Association’s gay and lesbian book award, and Slammerkin, winner of the 2002 Ferro-Grumley Award for lesbian fiction. She is a five-time finalist in the Lambda Literary Awards and has had her work published in several languages. She has also written a collection of short stories, a collection of fairy tales and a number of plays for stage and radio.
Gilbert is the former artistic director of Toronto’s Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, as well as a director, filmmaker and writer. His plays, which include Drag Queens on Trial, Drag Queens in Outer Space, The Dressing Gown and Playmurder, have been produced around the world. He received Dora Awards for his plays The Whore’s Revenge and Suzie Goo: Private Secretary. Last summer, Gilbert received a ReLit Award for his fourth novel, An English Gentleman, and was awarded the Silver Ticket Award by the Toronto Theatre Alliance for his career accomplishments and for nurturing the development of Canadian theatre. He holds a University Research Chair in creative writing and theatre studies at Guelph.
Ruth is the author of Ten Good Seconds of Silence and Smoke. She was the founder and curator of Canada’s only monthly queer literary series between 1998 and 2002. She currently teaches creative writing at the University of Toronto.
Schaffter is a songwriter and classical pianist trained at the Royal Conservatory of Music and the University of Toronto. He has produced a number of commissioned pieces of music and composed for theatre. His first novel, The Schumann Proof, was published in 2004.
Tickets for the readings and gala are $40. The cost of the reading and award-ceremony alone is $10. Tickets are available from the U of G drama office, (519) 824-4120, Ext. 53147; The Bookshelf, 41 Quebec St. in Guelph; and Words Worth Books, 100 King St. S. in Waterloo.
For media questions, contact Communications and Public Affairs: Lori Bona Hunt, (519) 824-4120, Ext. 53338, or Rebecca Kendall, Ext. 56982.
