Hoa Nguyen receives C.D. Wright Award for Poetry
The Foundation for Contemporary Arts (external link) (FCA) strives to inspire, bolster, and propel innovative artistic initiatives created and exhibited by individuals, groups, and organizations. The FCA offers funding opportunities like the Grants to Artists awards. These grants are available to artists across diverse fields, encompassing dance, music/sound, performance art/theatre, poetry, and visual arts. Hoa Nguyen is the sole Canadian recipient among 23 other recognized artists.
Hoa Nguyen, photo by Kirby
Hoa Nguyen is a writer and educator known internationally for her contributions to the world of poetry. Her most recent book, A Thousand Times You Lose Your Treasure (external link) , was a finalist for a 2021 National Book Award, the 2021 Governor General’s Literary Award, and the 2022 Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award.
“One of the most invaluable aspects of this financial support is the freedom it grants me in terms of resources, particularly time. Time, often elusive and precious, is a fundamental element in the creative process. Ultimately, an unrestricted artist grant provides the means to transform research and creative ideas into tangible realities. With this grant, I can allocate the necessary time to travel, carry out a study of place and archive, and write. It will provide space for me to work and expand on a poetry manuscript in progress.”
Nguyen’s influence extends beyond individual achievement, as she plays an integral role as a member of She Who Has No Masters (external link) , was a founding mentor of the collectives’ inaugural mentorship program in 2022, and in 2023 curated an exhibit and performance from the collectives "Yellow Echoes" series for Knife Fork Books' Fertile Festival in Toronto.
Launched in 1993, the Grants to Artists program provides unrestricted grants that support recipients with the financial means to explore their selected artistic endeavours. Recipients are nominated by a group of distinguished artists and arts professionals who are invited by FCA to serve as nominators. Beyond monetary assistance, these awards offer recipients significant acknowledgment and motivation from their peers. The C.D. Wright Award for Poetry is awarded to a poet whose work showcases Wright's vibrant lyricism, seriousness, and striking originality.