Another Year of Celebrating and Uplifting Writers at the Shields Prize
Our 2025-2026 Fiscal Year came to a close on June 30, 2026. We are proud of the work we have done in our fourth full year of Prize activity, including: the announcement of the 2026 longlist, shortlist, and winner; a successful announcement event and reading in Toronto; the continued expansion of our scholarship and residency programs supporting emerging writers; and successful events and gatherings in Chicago, Toronto, and online. Board and staff are also proud to report a balanced budget for the fiscal year, with much gratitude to our many sponsors and donors. We are delighted to share with you some of the highlights of the past 12 months.
Carol Shields Prize for Fiction
More than 225 books were submitted for the 2026 Carol Shields Prize for Fiction from across the U.S. and Canada. Our wonderful jury – Ivan Coyote, Cherie Dimaline, Chitra Divakaruni, Carmen Maria Machado, and Deesha Philyaw – selected a longlist of 15 amazing books, which was announced on March 10. The shortlist, announced on April 21, included Hellions by Julia Elliott (Tin House), The White Hot by Quiara Alegría Hudes (One World), Cannon by Lee Lai (Drawn & Quarterly), A Guardian and a Thief by Megha Majumdar (McClelland & Stewart, Canada; Knopf, USA), and Lion by Sonya Walger (New York Review Books).
Hellions by Julia Elliott won the 2026 Carol Shields Prize for Fiction, celebrated at a successful Prize Ceremony in Toronto on June 2, 2026. Hosted with flair by writer Elizebeth Renzetti, the event took place at the AGO, with 250 members of the writing community and other supporters as guests.
The announcement of the winner was reported by People Magazine, NPR, the Canadian Press, CBC Books, and numerous other media outlets. Julia Elliott, received USD$150,000 and the four finalists received USD$12,500, thanks to BMO, as well as a five-day stay at the stunning Fogo Island Inn, courtesy of Zita Cobb and our friends at the Inn. Thanks also go to the Banff Centre for the Arts and Creativity for inviting the winner and four finalists to a group residency in September 2026. We are so proud to make a real difference in the lives of these writers!
Mentorships, Scholarships, and Residencies
We offered support to a number of writers this year through our programming: Laura Morales received a fellowship in partnership with Diaspora Dialogues; Diamond Braxton attended a Hedgebrook residency on Whidbey Island in Washington; members of the Maza Arts Collective attended a residency at Historic Joy Kogawa House, and Jazlynn Martinez received a fellowship at the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Learn more on our programs page. The Carol Shields Prize also supported a woman writer at the inaugural Qissa Festival for newcomer and refugee writers.
Other Events This Year
The Carol Shields Prize hosted a number of literary events featuring women writers over the past year, including a book club evening with writers Susan Swan and Jane Urquhart; an evening with 2025 Prize-winner Canisia Lubrin and moderator Souvankham Thammavongsa at the University of Toronto in collaboration with PEN Canada; a virtual salon with writer Ugochi Okoli, the 2025 Diaspora Dialogues fellowship recipient; a Women in Translation Virtual Career Chat Panel with NY-based Girls Write Now, featuring writers connected with the Prize (Rhonda Mullins, Natália Affonso, and Aube Rey Lescure).
We also co-hosted a Code Noir Book Club with Black Girls Read Chicago and Women and Children First Bookshop in Chicago. The event was moderated by Cynthia Okechukwu, founder of Black Girls Read Chicago, and Canisia Lubrin joined online. We also hosted over 100 book lovers at a public reading and discussion of the shortlist on June 1 at Lula Lounge, along with four of the five shortlisted writers. The reading and Q&A was hosted by Canisia Lubrin, Winner of the 2025 Shields Prize.
Impact over 4 years of the Carol Shields Prize:
20 writers have received $800,000USD in prize money – over $1million CAD.
20 Jury Members have received a total of $150KUSD in honoraria ($204K CAD).
60 writers in total have been named to our longlists, receiving wide media coverage for their work.
Over 3000 booklovers have attended our online and in-person events in the U.S. and Canada.
Our social media and e-newsletters have promoted the work of hundreds of writers.
With advertising and PR, we have reached hundreds of thousands of booklovers globally!
Our residency, mentorship and scholarship programs have supported 30 BIPOC writers in the U.S. and Canada over 4 years, with direct funding of over $75K USD ($100K CAD).
27 writers have volunteered on our Authors Committee (which selects the Jury).
We have committed over $350K CAD – more than $250K USD – in marketing and communications support for women and non-binary writers and their books.
Together, we are making a difference at the Carol Shields Prize for Fiction. Thanks to everyone who supports our work – we salute you!
