Congratulations to Shani Mootoo, recipient of the 2026 Blue Metropolis Violet Literary Prize!
“Over the course of her impressive three-decade career, Shani has fearlessly created fiction and poetry that explore themes of queer desire, as well as the intersections of sexuality, class, and race. Known for her clarity, empathy, and lyrical mastery.”
The Blue Metropolis Violet Prize is a Canadian literary award, presented to an established LGBTQ writer to honour their body of work.
Created by writer Christopher DiRaddo for Blue Metropolis, a literary festival in Montreal, Quebec, as part of its LGBTQ-themed Violet Metropolis series, the award was first issued in 2018 and alternates between English language and French language writers.
Shani Mootoo is represented by Samantha Haywood.
Congratulations, Shani!