Al Purdy A-frame Association

For over a decade, the Al Purdy A-Frame Association (APAFA) has stewarded Ontario’s only dedicated writing residency, providing focused, paid time and space for writers to work in the former home of one of Canada’s seminal writers. The work of APAFA is to celebrate and support Canadian arts, artists, literature and, in particular, poetry. This is achieved with an ever-increasing suite of writing residencies, workshops, cultural events and performances all enmeshed with the local community. Home to so much artistic history, the A-Frame now operates to elevate the work of Canada’s next generation of artists in celebration of Prince Edward County’s literary community.

During our first decade we established a highly-respected residency program with a strong national network of supporters, high application rates, and a talented, dedicated board. A beloved writer, Purdy welcomed and mentored established and emerging writers at the A-Frame – Margaret Atwood, Milton Acorn, Margaret Laurence, Michael Ondaatje among countless others. By the end of 2026 APAFA will have hosted 57 writers. Many have subsequently published award-winning and nominated titles, garnered critical acclaim, and been included in innumerable book lists. We have also hosted songwriters, playwrights, photographers and novelists. You can read about the 2026 writers here: alpurdy.ca/writers-in-residence

Committed to maintaining the house and writing shed as when Purdy lived and wrote there, in 2023 we launched an ambitious fundraising campaign for the Foundation Project and saved the house. Again. The County and the nation have not lost an important heritage site and cultural nexus.

Now that the residency program is well-established and the building is secure, upgraded and all-seasonal, we are able to support twice as many writers as before. We aim to leverage the deep connections to the literary community that our board and supporters have at the provincial and national levels to establish high-profile, innovative Fellowships that can re-launch literary careers, and contribute to building the PEC region as a nexus for literary production and activity outside of the urban core, through local collaborations and our doubled capacity.

alpurdy.ca

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