It is with great sadness that the SWG informs you of the death of Ken Mitchell. Ken was a prairie-based writer with over 30 books (novels, poetry, dramas, and histories), and multiple awards, including the Order of Canada and the Saskatchewan Order of Merit. He taught creative writing and Canadian literature at the University of Regina from 1967 until his retirement in 2005. For five years (1970-75) he was director of the creative writing program at the Saskatchewan Summer School of the Arts. He had also been a visiting professor at the University of Edinburgh; University of Victoria; Nanjing University, China; and the Foreign Affairs College in Beijing, China.
In August of 1969, Ken Mitchell, along with numerous others, developed and steered an organization that enabled the Saskatchewan Writers’ Guild to exist in Saskatchewan. Along with the SWG, Ken was instrumental in the creation of many key arts institutions, including the creation and founding editor of the literary magazine of Grain (1973), Saskatchewan Playwrights Centre (1982), Playwrights Union of Canada (1984), and the Cathedral Village Arts Festival of Regina (1992).
Ken’s legacy of giving back to the community continues to live on in the numerous organizations, programming, and writers he nurtured in Saskatchewan.
The SWG is planning an event to share stories in memory of Ken Mitchell. Please check back for more details.