A UFV alumna who is also a promising writer has won the Alberta Lieutenant Governor Emerging Artist Award for her literary works exploring the South Asian diaspora, guilt, trauma, and place. Moni Brar (on the right) (BACJ ’96) completed her Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice at UFV.

Her works have been published in magazines such as Best Canadian Poetry 2022, Literary Review of Canada, and Passages North. She has also won the SAAG Arts Writing Prize, while placing as runner up or honourable mention for a host of other awards such as the PRISM International’s Grouse Grind Prize. She was born in rural India, and currently resides in Mohkínsstsisi (Calgary), although she has travelled extensively and lived in other places around the world.

In an interview with fillingstation.ca Moni spoke about the importance of her being a Punjabi-Sikh writer speaking about difficult topics.

“Winning this award makes me feel hopeful that the landscape of Canadian literature is shifting to include more diverse voices and stories from BIPOC writers,” she stated.

She also speaks in her interviews to the healing that comes from art, and how that has impacted her as she works on her next project. “I’m really looking forward to the process of meaning making and seeing what writing comes out of it.”

Moni was one of 11 award recipients chosen from 140 applications that were adjudicated by the Banff Centre. The Honourable Salma Lakhani, Lieutenant Governor of Alberta, celebrated the awardees on June 10, 2022, at a reception co-hosted by Lac Le Birhe County and Portage College. Each award recipient also received a hand-crafted medal, a certificate, and a $10,000 prize.

For more information about this award, and Moni Brar, please visit the links below:

Moni Brar – LG Arts Awards

An Interview with Moni Briar (fillingstation.ca)

Alberta’s 2022 Lt. Governor Emerging Artists Named – Todayville