$25,000 Kobzar Literary Award to be presented March 4 at Gala Award Ceremony
in Toronto

TORONTO, March 2 /CNW/ - The winner of the $25,000 Kobzar Literary Award will be announced on Thursday, March 4 at a gala ceremony in Toronto at the Palais Royale, attended by the Hon. Senator Raynell Andreychuk, an honorary patron of the award, and other dignitaries. Canadian actor/producer Fred Keating will serve as Master of Ceremonies for the event, and actor/playwright Lauren Brotman will introduce the shortlisted works. Jazz musician Alexander (Sasha) Boychouk will perform musical interludes.

Presented biennially, the Kobzar Literary Award recognizes a Canadian writer who best presents a Ukrainian Canadian theme with literary merit through poetry, drama, fiction, non-fiction or young people's literature. Joining Senator Andreychuk as Honorary Patrons are the Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson and authors Joy Kogawa and Nino Ricci.

The 2010 Kobzar Literary Award finalists:

Elizabeth Bachinsky, of Vancouver, BC, for God of Missed Connections (Nightwood Editions, Gibsons, BC, 2009);

Paul Laverdure, of Sudbury, ON for Redemption and Ritual: The Eastern Rite Redemptorists of North America, 1906-2006 (Redeemer's Voice Press, Yorkton, SK, 2007);

Randall Maggs, of Corner Brook, NL, for Night Work: The Sawchuk Poems (Brick Books, London, ON, 2008), and

Murray Andrew Pura, of Pincher Creek, AB, for Zo (Windhover Marsh, Toronto, ON, 2008).

For information on the authors and their books, please visit http://www.kobzarliteraryaward.com.

Canadian authors Sandra Birdsell, Janice Kulyk Keefer, Kerri Sakamoto and Richard Scrimger served as jurors for the 2010 competition.

The Kobzar Literary Award is sponsored by the Shevchenko Foundation.

Members of the media are invited to attend the award presentation at approx. 9:30 p.m., or the technical rehearsal with authors at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 4, at the Palais Royale, 1601 Lakeshore Blvd. W., Toronto.

For further information: Dr. Christine Turkewych, Program Director, [phone], [email protected], www.kobzarliteraryaward.com, www.shevchenkofoundation.com