2026 APC nominees to be aNnounced may 26th!
Stay tuned May 26th, when APN will be announcing the nominees for the 2026 Alberta Playwriting Competition (APC)!
Now in its 61st year, the APC recognizes the most outstanding un-produced Alberta play with The Sharon Pollock Award ($5000 Cash Prize). This competition is open to all playwrights who reside in Alberta, whether they are members of the Alberta Playwrights' Network or not.
Past winners include: Ken Cameron, Michele Vance Hehir, Ellen Close, Braden Griffiths, Natalie Meisner, Meg Braem, Collin Doyle, Liam Monaghan, Jessy Ardern, and Hayley Moorhouse, and more!
The winner will be announced and the prize awarded at the annual Alberta Literary Awards Gala, presented by the Writers’ Guild of Alberta on June 5, 2026 at Wyndham Hotel and Conference Centre (4440 Gateway Blvd) in Edmonton. Doors for the event open at 6:00 PM MT; Dinner at 7:00 PM MT.
The Alberta Playwriting Competition is co-presented with Theatre Alberta.
2026 APN Emerging Playwright Mentorship Program Participants Announced
In partnership with Hit & Myth Productions
APN is thrilled to announce the participants for the 2026 APN Emerging Playwright Mentorship program!
Thanks to a new partnership with Hit & Myth Productions in Calgary, APN will be able to support 10 emerging playwrights from across the province through this high-impact six month mentorship program.
Joel Cochrane, Artistic Producer of Hit&Myth had this to say about the new program partnership, “Hit & Myth has always been committed to supporting Alberta artists. We are thrilled to be partnering with Alberta Playwrights’ Network to support 10 emerging artists, enabling them to work with established theatre creators. The mentoring program is a vital part of the Alberta theatre community, and we are excited to be a part of this for 2026.”
“Mentorship has been an instrumental part of my own development as a playwright over the years, so it’s an honour to facilitate the longstanding tradition of artists coming together in conversation,” says APN’s new executive director, Louise Casemore, who will participate in the program as one of this year’s mentors. “I’m floored by the enthusiastic response from our esteemed mentors, and the thrilling lineup of plays proposed by the participants. Thanks to some targeted outreach for this year, we have a tremendous cross section of ages, experience-levels, style, and location within the cohort, and several new mentors in the program. Amazing things ahead from these folks!”
The 2026 APN Emerging Playwright Mentorship Program Participants are:
PAMELA SCHMUNK, partnered with mentor BETH GRAHAM
BRETT LEMAY, partnered with mentor CLEM MARTINI
GRACE FITZGERALD, partnered with mentor JASON CHINN
TESSA SIMPSON, partnered with mentor LOUISE CASEMORE
WENDY FROBERG, partnered with mentor NATALIE MEISNER
TJ JABLONSKI, partnered with mentor COLLIN DOYLE
SHELDON BARANEC, partnered with mentor CONNI MASSING
KATHLEEN RENNE, partnered with mentor VANESSA PORTEOUS
SAMSON NAND, partnered with mentor KENNETH T. WILLIAMS
ACHILLES FRIESEN, partnered with mentor GEOFFREY SIMON BROWN
You’re Invited! APN’s 2026 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
On behalf of the Shae Christie, APN Board Secretary -
Alberta Playwrights’ Network cordially invites all members in good standing to attend the 2026 Annual General Meeting, taking place on Zoom on May 25th at 7pm. We will be presenting the 2025 financial statements as well as reporting from the Board President, Treasurer, and Executive Director. We will also be electing a slate of Board members.
In advance of the AGM, we are looking for new and energetic Board members to join us and support the work that we do. We are enthusiastically seeking Board members from Edmonton, northern Alberta, and communities outside of Calgary, with interest in fundraising, non-profits, or Board governance.
For more information, to submit interest in the Board, or to request access to the meeting, please contact:
Louise Casemore, Executive Director at louise@albertaplaywrights.com
We hope to see you there!
APN CHARITY CASINO
We are still in need of a few volunteers!
click the link below for remaining positions
Location: Elbow River Casino
Address: 218 18 Ave SW
Dates: June 6 & 7, 2026
Benefits: Free meal and all the snacks and drinks you can consume!
Alberta has a unique charitable gaming model. It is the only province in Canada where charitable organizations are licensed to conduct and manage casino events, and we need your help!
Every year, Alberta Playwrights’ Network is issued a charitable gaming license, which enables us access to valuable funding for our organization’s day-to-day operations.
Come and help us by volunteering for our biggest fundraiser of the year. By donating your time you can assist in raising $60,000 for APN in support of our programming and operations. It's easy - all training is provided on the day!
Click below to sign up!
Two silver pencils on a black background
Blue neon sign which says: “what is you story?”
A grid of six notepads on a black background
ATB Financial will match your donation by 15%.
alberta playwrights’ Network Society is a registered CRA charity.
CRA Charity # 13087 4829 RT001
APN is thankful to all its public and private funders
Alberta Playwrights' Network acknowledges the many First Nations, Metis, and Inuit people who are the original storytellers and knowledge keepers of this land.
APN is a signatory to the 35//50 Initiative and is committed to those principles and goals in the work we do now and our work in the future.