Media Release

PAUL QUARRINGTON NAMED RECIPIENT OF WRITERS’ TRUST OF CANADA

MATT COHEN AWARD

Presentation to be made at IFOA event in honour of Quarrington’s life and work

TORONTO, October 19, 2009 ----- The Writers’ Trust of Canada has named Paul Quarrington the ninth recipient of the Matt Cohen Award: In Celebration of a Writing Life. The award will be presented to Quarrington on Saturday, October 24 as part of the 30th anniversary International Festival of Authors (IFOA: Oct. 21–31, 2009).

The presentation of the Matt Cohen Award will be made by Patsy Aldana, following an introduction by Margaret Atwood, as part of Paul Quarrington: A Life in Music, Words, and on Screen, Saturday, October 24, 3pm, Harbourfront Centre. This licensed IFOA event includes readings and tributes from authors including Atwood, Roddy Doyle and Alistair MacLeod; from Quarrington’s film industry peers, including Paul Gross, who flies in from the set of Eastwick to deliver an onstage tribute; and live music from the PorkBelly Futures, the Quarrington Trio, and a reunion of the Rheostatics. Dave Bidini hosts.

For information and to purchase tickets the public may visit www.readings.org or Call the Harbourfront Centre Box Office at 416-973-4000. Tickets are $15/$12 members/FREE students with ID (subject to availability).

About the Matt Cohen Award:

Valued at $20,000, the Matt Cohen Award is presented to a Canadian writer whose life has been dedicated to writing as a primary pursuit, in honour of a body of distinguished work in poetry or prose, in English or French. This year’s prize is made possible by a number of generous donors; a committee composed of Patsy Aldana, Graeme Gibson, and Wayne Grady selected the recipient.

Established in 2001 by the Writers’ Trust of Canada and a group of anonymous donors, this award is named in memory of Matt Cohen, winner of the Governor General’s Award for Fiction (Elizabeth and After, 1999) and a founding member of the Writers’ Union of Canada. Past recipients include Mavis Gallant, Norman Levine, and Marie-Claire Blais.

-30-

About the Writers’ Trust
The Writers’ Trust of Canada is a charitable organization that supports Canadian writers and writing through various programmes, including literary awards, financial grants, workshops, scholarships, and a writers’ retreat. For more information visit writerstrust.com.

About IFOA
The annual International Festival of Authors (IFOA) (October 21–31, 2009) – including YoungIFOA (October 27, 29 & 30, 2009) and IFOA Ontario (October 24 – November 3, 2009) – is part of the annual season programmed by Authors at Harbourfront Centre (AUTHORS). For more information visit readings.org.

MEDIA CONTACTS:
For IFOA
Print: Becky Toyne: btoyne@harbourfrontcentre.com; 416-973-583
Broadcast: Althea Linton: alinton@harbourfrontcenre.com; 416-973-4428

For the Writers’ Trust
James Davies: jdavies@writerstrust.com; 416-504-8222 x245

235 Queens Quay West, Toronto, Ontario M5J 2G8
Phone: 416-973-4600 | Fax: 416-973-6055 | harbourfrontcentre.com