Announcement to be held at University of British Columbia's world-renowned Museum of Anthropology on September 16th

VANCOUVER, Aug. 27, 2013 /CNW/ - The 2013 Scotiabank Giller Prize longlist announcement will take place at 8:30 a.m. PST on September 16^th on the spectacular UBC campus, in the Great Hall of the University's Museum of Anthropology (located here). The event will be co-hosted by UBC's Creative Writing Program and the Vancouver Writers Fest (VWF).

Twenty thirteen marks the 20^th anniversary of the Giller Prize and the 50^th anniversary of UBC's distinguished Creative Writing Program. UBC and the VWF are pleased to represent the vibrant literary community on Canada's West Coast.  The symbolic location of the announcement underscores the wealth of talent fostered by creative writing programs across the country.

Past Scotiabank Giller Prize finalists from British Columbia have included Esi Edugyan, Eden Robinson, Bill Gaston, Carol Shields, Alice Munro, John Gould, Zsuzsi Gartner, Carol Windley, Timothy Taylor and Annabel Lyon.

We are delighted that 2013 Giller juror Esi Edugyan will make a very special appearance to present the longlist. Scotiabank Giller Prize founder Jack Rabinovitch will speak at the press conference. Steven Galloway, Acting Chair, Creative Writing, will preside over the event and will introduce Elder Larry Grant, First Nations House of Learning; Gage Averill, Dean of Arts; Hal Wake, Artistic Director, Vancouver Writers Fest; Dr. Daniel Justice, Chair, First Nations Studies Program, and Nilusha Alibhai, Vice President, North Coast & Fraser Valley District, Scotiabank.

The Giller Prize will present its shortlist at a special event in Toronto on October 8^th. The winner will be announced at a gala ceremony to honour the finalists on Tuesday, November 5^th during a live broadcast on CBC Television at 8:00 p.m. EST. Visit cbc.ca/books for retrospective coverage of the Giller Prize's past two decades, interviews with the nominees and jury members, contests and more.

About the Prize

The Scotiabank Giller Prize strives to highlight the very best in Canadian fiction year after year. The prize awards $50,000 annually to the author of the best Canadian novel or short story collection published in English, and $5,000 to each of the finalists. The award is named in honour of the late literary journalist Doris Giller and was founded in 1994 by her husband, Toronto businessman Jack Rabinovitch.

Two thousand and thirteen marks the 20^th year of the prize. This year's jury is made up of Canadian authors Margaret Atwood and Esi Edugyan, and American writer Jonathan Lethem.

About Scotiabank:

Scotiabank is committed to supporting the communities in which we live and work, both in Canada and abroad, through our global philanthropic program, Scotiabank Bright Future.  Recognized as a leader internationally and among Canadian corporations for our charitable donations and philanthropic activities, Scotiabank has provided on average approximately $47 million annually to community causes around the world over each of the last five years. Visit us at www.scotiabank.com.

About UBC's Creative Writing Program:

The University of British Columbia's world-class Creative Writing Program began in 1963. It has fostered the literary talents of Morris Panych, Madeleine Thien, Stephanie Bolster, Nancy Lee, Hart Hanson, Eden Robinson, Charlotte Gill, Kevin Patterson and Kevin Chong, amongst many others.  Celebrating its 50^th anniversary this year, the program continues to maintain its status as a 'hotbed of literary talent' (Globe and Mail).

About VWF:

The Vancouver Writers Fest is a prestigious cultural and literary event attracting 16,000+ readers to an annual festival on Granville Island each fall and events with renowned and emerging writers year-round. The festival features more than 80 readings, performances, interviews and discussions with more than 100 award-winning and emerging writers from around the world.

SOURCE Scotiabank - Sponsorships & Donations; Scotiabank