Congratulations from all of us at the Royal City Literary Arts Society!
We are pleased to announce the 2026 Longlist for our
13th Annual Fred Cogswell Award For Excellence in Poetry.
Thank you to our 2026 Cogswell Award Judge Kevin Spenst!
We appreciate your hard work and dedication.
Our finalists in alphabetical order:
Tabako on the Windowsill by Hari Alluri (Brick Books)
Long Exposure by Stephanie Bolster (Palimpsest Press)
A Bow Forged from Ash by Melissa Powless Day (Palimpsest Press)
Several Small Animals Enclosed in a Benedictine Monastery by Vera Hadzic (Anvil Press)
Devotional Forensics by Joseph Kidney (icehouse poetry | Goose Lane Editions)
What We Know So Far Is …by Conor Mc Donnell (Buckrider Books | Wolsak & Wynn Publishers)
Unravel by Tolu Oloruntoba (McClelland & Stewart | Penguin Random House)
Myth by Terese Mason Pierre (House of Anansi)
Wellwater by Karen Solie (House of Anansi)
Bonememory by Anna Veprinska (University of Calgary Press)
Connect through art and creativity!
Join us for Open Mic Nights at the Fraser River Discovery Center
Date: Wednesday October 16
Theme: Poetry
Time: 6:30 – 8:30 pm, sign ups start 6:15 pm
Location: 788 Quayside Dr
Enjoy a fun and casual evening of Poetry!
#OpenMicNight #OpenMicPoetry #FraserRiverDiscoveryCentre
The Tri-City Wordsmiths is hosting a Local Writers Bookfair for the Fraser River Literary Arts Festival. Come to the fair to chat with local writers from the Tri-City Wordsmiths and the Royal City Literary Arts Society, along with many more. Check out the books for sale and stop by the writing society tables to learn more about membership and their upcoming events.
Date: Sunday, November 1, 2026
Time: 11:00 am to 3:00 pm
Location: Mabbett Hall, Port Coquitlam Community Centre
Address: 2150 Wilson Ave, Port Coquitlam, BC
Hosted by Tri-City Wordsmiths, Royal City Literary Arts Society, and sponsored by the Poco Arts Council. We are currently accepting vendor applications until October 25th.
Each space can hold a 6’ table and costs $30.00.
Here is the link for applying to sell at the bookfair: https://forms.gle/
Here is a flyer for applying to the bookfair: https://drive.
Poetry & Art Salon: A Reflection on Remembrance, Grief & Loss
Join us for an afternoon of poetry readings exploring the human emotions of grief and loss, and how we remember those we love. In conjunction with New West Hospice’s Dialogue on Death and Dying, this event features four local authors and will also have an open mic time at the end to add your voice to the conversation.
ALAN GIRLING lives in Richmond, British Columbia. His writings have appeared in print, online, on the radio, and in the occasional shop window. He’s won a few prizes for poetry and fiction and has had a short play produced.
He regularly publishes his poetry at his Substack newsletter called man of aran: https://alangirling.substack.com/
JANET KVAMMEN is a poet, mixed media and lens-based artist. A founding RCLAS board member in 2012, Janet is the President of Royal City Literary Arts Society. Active on both the literary and arts scene of New Westminster, Janet is a host and coordinator of local reading events and art exhibits. She is the recipient of the Bernie Legge Artist of the Year awarded by the New West Chamber at the 2023 Platinum Awards. Janet is the Poet Laureate of the City of New Westminster.
JERENA TOBIASEN is a native Vancouverite and proud Canadian. Her award-winning, historical fiction novels include The Prophecy, a 3-volume saga, and The Nightingale and Sparrow Chronicles, a (soon to be) 4-volume series.
Jerena has travelled extensively throughout Great Britain, Western Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Russia, the Arctic and the Americas, collecting data for her stories. She embellishes her stories by drawing from her experiences, including visiting museums and libraries, conducting interviews, and travelling in the footsteps of her characters. She is determined to write with accuracy and authenticity.
Jerena is a proud member of The Writers’ Union of Canada, Royal City Literary Arts Society, Canadian Authors Association, BC Federation of Writers, Burnaby Writers Society and the Royal Canadian Legion. If she’s not home writing, she’s likely travelling!
This event is co-presented with the Royal City Literary Arts Society 
and the Anvil Centre 
Date: Nov 08 2026
Time: 12:30 pm – 2:00 pm
Location: Anvil Centre, 777 Columbia Street, New Westminster, BC, Canada
Category: Adults (19+)
Organizer: Adult Programs
Phone 604-527-4666
Email askus@nwpl.ca
Bridging the Gap 2025
RCLAS Co-operative Poem, National Poetry Month, April 2025
© 2025 by the poets
Compiled by Janet Kvammen, New Westminster Poet Laureate
18 contributing poets in order of appearance:
Candice James Alan Girling
Jerena Tobiasen
Susan McCaslin
Jessica Lee McMillan
Angus Pratt
Karen McLaughlin Freeborn
Cynthia Sharp
Isabella Mori
Julia Schoennagel
Chelsea Comeau
Emily Molinari
Jude Neale
Jennifer Getsinger
Angela Kenyon
H.W. Bryce
Alan Hill
Janet Kvammen
New Membership & Renewals here:
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