Writer-in-Residence

Richmond’s Writer-in-Residence Program delivers hands-on programming for local emerging and aspiring writers. The annual residency is a partnership between Richmond Arts, Culture and Heritage Services and Richmond Public Library.

Richmond's 2023 Writer-In-Residence – Audrey Thomas

Audrey Thomas was born in Western New York State and immigrated to Canada in 1959. As well as in Canada, she has taught writing workshops and held residencies in several countries, including Zimbabwe, where they always started with a traditional song. She has received many awards, including the Canada Scotland Award, the Canada Australia Award, the Marian Engel Award, the W.O. Mitchell Award and recently, the Governor’s Award for Literary Excellence. She has published 18 books and is presently working on 19 and 20. During her two month residency in Richmond, Audrey will share her love for writing with the community to established and emerging writers through creative writing techniques, engaging conversations and reflections and diverse methodologies.

The City of Richmond is delighted to host the launch of Culture Days and Audrey Thomas’s residency on Saturday, September 23 at the Richmond Cultural Centre. Audience members will be immersed in the world of literature from 12:00 to 1:00 pm at this official opening event.

Throughout her residency, Audrey will host free writing workshops (registration required) and consultation and feedback sessions for workshop participants (registration requested). The workshops include:

• Memoir Writing: Everyone Has A Story
• Flash Fiction: A Very Short Story (Teens)
• All in the Family: Writing About Relationships
• Writing Circle for Teens
• Conversations

Registration for the Writer-in-Residence programs is open as of Wednesday, August 23, 2023.

Workshops will resume in 2024 and registration will be announced.

For more information and to inquire about future Writer-in-Residence opportunities contact Amélie Nikitin, Arts Programmer, Arts Services
Phone: 604-247-8325
Email: Amelie.Nikitin@richmond.ca

Past Richmond Writers-in-Residence include:

2022 - Lindi Notle
2021 - Sonya Lalli
2020 - Lindsay Wong
2019 - Cynthia Sharp
2018 - Andrew Battershill
2017 - Nilofar Shidmehr
2016 - Karen X. Tulchinsky
2015 - Caroline Adderson
2014 - Nancy Lee
2013 - Mark Leiren-Young
2012 - Sally Stubbs