Dr. MacEwan Literary Arts Scholarship

This $7,000 scholarship is awarded annually to a young Albertan writer who shows extraordinary talent in an eligible literary genre and who demonstrates clear educational or training goals.

Who can apply

The AFA celebrates and supports diversity and is committed to creating equitable, inclusive, and accessible programs for all, free of barriers and discrimination. We recognize the unique contributions all artists make towards our community, and encourage applicants representing diverse communities, including Indigenous peoples, racialized communities, women, people with disabilities, and the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.

To be eligible for scholarship funding you must be a resident of Alberta. This means you:

• are a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or Protected Person with an open study permit from inside Canada
• have had your primary residence in Alberta for one full year before applying
• ordinarily live in Alberta for at least six months each year with the exception of attending a formal program of study

You must be 25 years or younger as of the application deadline.

You must be enrolled in an eligible writing training program.

Ineligible applicants:

• International students in Canada on a visa without permanent residency status in Canada.
• International students enrolled in a Canadian program/Canadian institution not located in Canada.
• Non-Canadian students enrolled and studying via the Internet or through online courses.

How will my application be assessed

This funding is administered at the discretion of the AFA board.

Staff convene an expert panel to consider all eligible scholarship applications submitted to each deadline. The expert panel assesses the merit of each application both on its own terms and in relation to all other applications received for a given deadline.

Assessment of a scholarship application is based on the following general criteria:

• the applicant's artistic ability based on the artistic merit of the writing submission
• the merit and appropriateness of the proposed program(s) in the context of the applicant's literary arts goals and interests
• the impact of the proposed program(s) on the artistic development of the applicant
• the applicant's achievements and experience in the literary arts to date

All expert panel recommendations are reviewed by the AFA board and all decisions are final. Funding is not assured for any application