Each year, Victoria College appoints an exceptional writer as the Shaftesbury Creative Writer-in-Residence. This role supports the teaching and learning that takes place in the Creativity and Society program and the Norman Jewison Stream of the Vic One program, and helps to foster creative citizenship among the Victoria College community.
The Shaftesbury Creative Writer-in-Residence is sponsored by Shaftesbury Inc., a Toronto-based entertainment company founded by Vic alumna Christina Jennings, C.M. (VIC 7T4).
Welcoming our 2026–27 Shaftesbury Creative Writer-in-Residence: Gary Barwin
Shaftesbury Creative Writer-in-Residence 2026-27
We are delighted to announce that the Shaftesbury Writer in Residence for 2026-2027 will be Gary Barwin.
Gary Barwin is a writer, composer and multi-disciplinary artist whose output in multiple art forms is astonishing. He is the author of 35 books, including the national bestselling novel Yiddish for Pirates, which won the Leacock Medal for Humour and the Canadian Jewish Literary Award, was a finalist for the Governor General’s Award and the Scotiabank Giller Prize, and was long-listed for Canada Reads. His other recent books include the essay collection Imagining Imagining, the short story collection Scandal at the Alphorn Factory, and, with Lillian Allen and Gregory Betts, Muttertongue, an audio recording and poetry book. A PhD in music composition, Barwin’s work has been performed internationally. Be:longings, a public art sculpture created with Tor Lukasik-Foss and Simon Frank, is permanently installed in Hamilton’s Churchill Park. Born in Northern Ireland to South African parents of Ashkenazi descent, Barwin lives in Hamilton, Ontario.
Creativity and Society Coordinator Adam Sol remarked, “Gary Barwin is the perfect artist to serve as the Shaftesbury Writer-in-Residence at Vic. He thinks about creativity with depth and complexity, and approaches a wide range of artistic practices with a sense of discovery and delight that all our students can learn from.”
Each year, Victoria College appoints an exceptional writer as the Shaftesbury Creative Writer-in-Residence. This role supports the teaching and learning that takes place in the Creativity and Society Minor, and the Norman Jewison Stream of the Vic One program, and helps foster creative citizenship among the Victoria College community. Dr. Barwin will offer a seminar in the Winter 2027 term, and will participate in events and student mentoring throughout the academic year.
The Shaftesbury Creative Writer-in-Residence is supported by Shaftesbury Inc., a Toronto-based entertainment company founded by Vic alumna, Christina Jennings, C.M.
Karen Solie
Shaftesbury Creative Writer-in-Residence 2025-26
We are delighted to announce that Karen Solie has been appointed the Shaftesbury Creative Writer-in-Residence at Victoria College for 2025-2026.
Karen Solie is one of Canada’s best and most celebrated poets. Born in Moose Jaw, Solie grew up on a farm in Saskatchewan. She is the author of six collections of poetry, including The Caiplie Caves, which was shortlisted for the Derek Walcott Prize and the T.S. Eliot Prize; and Pigeon, which won the Griffin Prize for Poetry. Solie has been honoured with a Latner Prize and, recently, a Fellowship from the Guggenheim Foundation. She is also a beloved teacher, having served a number of times as faculty for the Banff Centre, teaching regularly at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, and acting as a mentor for countless poets across the country, including Master’s students at the University of Toronto program in Creative Writing.
Each year, Victoria College appoints an exceptional writer as the Shaftesbury Creative Writer-in-Residence. This role supports the teaching and learning that takes place in the Creativity and Society Minor, and the Norman Jewison Stream of the Vic One program, and helps foster creative citizenship among the Victoria College community. Ms. Solie will offer a seminar in the Winter 2026 term, and will participate in events and student mentoring throughout the academic year.
The Shaftesbury Creative Writer-in-Residence is supported by Shaftesbury Inc., a Toronto-based entertainment company founded by Vic alumna, Christina Jennings, C.M.