Keith Maillard

Winner of the Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Literary Excellence

Statement from the jury on the selection of Keith Maillard:
“The jury carefully reviewed all nominees, discussed their excellent work, and came to a unanimous decision. We were honoured to be asked to adjudicate this award. We wish to recognize that all of the nominees are deserving of our respect and gratitude for their contributions to the literary community in BC. Together, we wholeheartedly choose Keith Maillard as this year’s recipient. 

The depth and scope of Keith’s five decade-long career is undeniable. He authored almost two dozen books;  he has written articles, reviews, essays poems and contributed to anthologies; he continues to write and mentor the next generation of writers. Keith is an influential teacher and mentor at UBC’s School of Creative Writing. He champions the craft of writing and works to uplift new voices. He has had a profound influence on writers and his students/mentees all speak of a specific kindness and generosity, a genuine willingness to find what a writer needs to say and to help them hone their unique style and voice.

We recognize that a career of excellence involves far more than what meets the reader on a page. Writers with influence touch people. They work in life’s margins to foster creativity, courage, exploration and self-discovery. We would be remiss not to mention the countless readers, students and fellow writers who have been influenced by his work.

The letters supporting Keith show his care for literature as well as his dedication to building the literary community. His activities demonstrate that care – consider the Writer’s Union and the Federation of BC Writers – his contributions to both organizations are a testament to his commitment to writers and writing in BC.

This award was created to recognize writers who have created a ‘substantial body of work’ and have contributed ‘significantly to the literary community/industry in the Province of British Columbia.’ Keith Maillard’s work exceeds the requirements. Mr. Maillard’s contributions reach far and wide in BC and beyond.  We are delighted to present this award to him this evening.“

Keith Maillard is the author of fifteen novels, one book of poetry, and two memoirs. He has won the Ethel Wilson Fiction Prize and was shortlisted for the Commonwealth Literary Prize and the Governor General’s Literary Awards. The Clarinet Polka was awarded the Creative Arts Prize by the Polish American Historical Association. Dementia Americana won the Gerald Lampert Award in 1995 for the Best First Book of Poetry Published in Canada.

Keith was born and raised in Wheeling, West Virginia, the inspiration for the fictional town of Raysburg which serves as the setting for many of his novels. He has been a musician, a contributor for CBC Radio, a freelance photographer, and a journalist. He teaches in the School of Creative Writing at the University of British Columbia.