April 22nd, 2026 — The international Griffin Poetry Prize has announced the 2026 Shortlist. Major Jackson (CRF 2024) was among the judges who each read 461 books of poetry, including 34 translations from 19 languages, submitted by 219 publishers from 42 different countries.
Congratulations to finalists Green of All Heads (BOA Editions) by Aracelis Girmay (CRF 2013) and Foxglovewise (Faber & Faber) by incoming Director’s Guest Ange Mlinko (CRF 2026)!
The international Griffin Poetry Prize winner will be announced at the Readings to be held at Koerner Hall on Wednesday, June 3rd, and will be awarded $130,000. The other shortlisted finalists will each receive $10,000.
The evening will include readings by the 2026 shortlisted poets, the Lifetime Recognition Award recipient—to be announced on May 6th—and the Canadian First Book Prize winner—to be announced on May 20th. The event will also feature a recitation by one of the 2026 Finalists of Poetry in Voice/Les voix de la poésie, a Canada-wide school recitation competition.
Tickets are now on sale and can be purchased at rcmusic.com.