The SWG Annual Conference and AGM will be held October 20-21, 2023 in Saskatoon SK at the ParkTown Hotel (924 Spadina Crescent East).  All events are planned in-person with limited events also livestreamed. Our 2023 theme is Symbiosis, a nod to how writers live in a community or environment that influences, nurtures, supports and challenges their writing and careers. Our conference is an event designed for both emerging and established Saskatchewan writers, as well as brand-new and long-standing SWG members; please join us to learn more about the craft of writing, meet new writers and catch up with old friends!

 

Book Table:

We will be operating a book table during our conference, which will sell books by presenters and SWG members. Any attending SWG member is welcome to bring books to sell. Read our FAQs here for more information and when to drop off books.

 

Registration Options:

All conference events require registration, which is now open. Our pass options include:

• Full Conference pass for all in-person events
  •  Member $200 / Non-member $245 / Student $100
• Online pass for limited livestreamed events
  • Member $55 / Non-member $75 / Student $25

Both passes include access to recorded events post-conference for 30 days. If you are interested in attending a single event, please contact info@skwriter.com or 306-791-7740 for more information.

 

Hotel Options:

If you are interested in staying at the ParkTown Hotel during the conference, the SWG has a block of guest rooms available for a special conference rate ($129/single queen or $134/double queen plus taxes). Please book your room directly with the Parktown Hotel by calling 1-306-667-6068 by September 30, 2023 and quote code 2310SASKAT. Availability is not guaranteed after this date.

 

AGM Member mileage reimbursement:

Did you know that SWG members get a partial mileage reimbursement for attending the annual AGM? Members who attend the AGM can claim their return mileage at $.22/km: please speak to SWG staff about submitting a claim forms after the AGM.

 

Pre-Conference Poet's Rambles

We invite all interested conference participants to join our Poet Laureate dee Hobsbawn-Smith for a Poet’s Ramble on Friday Oct 21 from 12:00-1:00 pm and Saturday Oct 22 from 7:30-8:30 am before conference events start. No registration or payment required; simply show up right outside the ParkTown Hotel’s main lobby entrance doors under the breezeway with good walking shoes and a small notebook and pen. dee will be guiding a walk by the river and will leave promptly at 12:00 pm Friday and 7:30 am Saturday; latecomers will be left behind. Walking is a great way to interact with and observe the world, and may help “prime your creative pump”. The walks will end with dee reading a poem.  

 

Accessibility:

All SWG 2023 Conference events will be held in the lower level of the ParkTown Hotel. The Oak Room and Maple Room are fully wheelchair accessible with nearby washrooms. All presenters will use a microphone and rooms will be set up with moveable tables and chairs. Read-along materials are available in limited sessions. Full information about accessibility measures is available our FAQs page.  If you have any accessibility needs, please let SWG staff know so we can help you enjoy our conference.

We hope you have a great time at our conference this year!

Schedule

Time	Friday, October 20	Location
12:30 pm	Registration table opens Book table drop-off at the ParkTown Hotel Book table sales open at 1:30 pm	ParkTown Hotel Lower level
1:30 - 2:30 pm	Concurrent Talk: Country Black: Racial Identity on the Prairies, One Song at a Time with Bertrand Bickersteth	Oak Room + Live-streamed
1:30 - 2:30 pm	Concurrent Talk: Overcoming Obstacles and Challenges in Storytelling with Randy Morin	Maple Room
2:45 - 3:45 pm	Concurrent Event: How Poetry Grieves panel with Louise Bernice Halfe - Sky Dancer, Katherine Lawrence, Jennifer Still and host Alasdair Rees	Oak Room + Live-streamed
2:45 - 3:45 pm	Concurrent Event: The Business of Combining Writing, Photography and Publishing with Robin and Arlene Karpan	Maple Room
4:00 - 5:30 pm	Writing While Black with Khodi Dill	Oak Room
5:30 - 7:00 pm	Break - Supper on your own Doors open at 6:30 pm
7:00 - 8:15 pm	Caroline Heath Memorial Lecture: What's It All About with Alissa York On stage conversation and Q & A to follow with Marina Endicott	Oak Room +  Live-streamed + available on SWG YouTube channel post-conference
8:15 - 10:00 pm	Post-Lecture Reception Fast Friends: Building Connections	Oak Room

Time	Saturday, October 21	Location
8:30 am	Registration Table opens Book Table opens	ParkTown Hotel Lower Level
9:00 - 10:30 am	Concurrent Workshop: Symbiosis of Relationships with Marina Endicott	Oak Room
9:00 - 10:30 am	Concurrent Workshop: Inside and Outside All at Once: Poetry and the Body with Jennifer Still	Maple Room
10:45 am - 12:15 pm	Concurrent Workshop: Sense of Place: Creating a Convincing World with Alissa York	Oak Room
10:45 am - 12:15 pm	Concurrent Workshop: Landscapes Within, Landscrapes Without: Poetry Workshop with Bertrand Bickersteth	Maple Room
12:30 - 1:45 pm	Lunch & Conversation with Bob Calder and David Carpenter 3-course meal included in full conference pass - meal details available in the Events description	Oak Room + Live-streamed Conversation
2:00 - 3:30 pm	Youth Poet Laureate Showcase Featuring Lauren Klassen, Peace Akintade-Oluwagbeye, Alasdair Rees and host dee Hosbawn-Smith. Special youth poet guests include Danika Michael, Deziyah Nokusis and Imogen Rennie.	Oak Room + Live-streamed
3:45 - 5:30 pm	SWG 2023 Annual General Meeting   Book table sales close - pick up books between 6:30 and 8:30 pm	Oak Room
5:30 - 7:00 pm	Break - Supper on your own Doors open at 6:30 pm
7:00 - 8:30 pm	2023 John V. Hicks Long Manuscript Award in Literary Nonfiction Ceremony hosted by Jennifer Wallace Reception to follow	Oak Room + Live-streamed
8:30 - 11:00 pm	Community Stage Open Mic and Social with Dash Reimer	Oak Room

 

Schedule     Registration     Events     Presenter Bios

Annual General Meeting     FAQs     Payment