Named “Canada’s coolest poet” by Time Out London, Priscila Uppal was a tour-de-force and her poetry was anything but sit-down, tame, or by-the-book. She often used humour to confront darker issues head on, wasn’t afraid to laugh at our beautiful and messy world, and found joy in the glamorous through theatrical attire and performance. For this inaugural annual contest, Canthius encourages submissions that tackle serious topics with a spirit of fun. Canthius’ hope is that this award will honour Priscila’s legacy as a mentor and friend to many.

The 2019 judge of the award is Phoebe Wang.

Learn more here.