'Painful decision': Manitoba Book Awards ending

Library books are shown on shelves in this file image. (Element5 Digital / Pexels)

The final chapter has been written on the Manitoba Book Awards, for now.

The awards, which were a joint effort between the Association of Manitoba Book Publishers, Winnipeg Public Library, Manitoba Writers’ Guild and Plume Winnipeg (formerly the Winnipeg International Writers Festival), announced Thursday they would be discontinued after 35 years.

"This was a painful decision," said Charlene Diehl, executive director of Plume Winnipeg. "None of us, took this decision lightly. It is a painful time for us."

Diehl said the organization had been dealing with difficulties in putting together the awards for Manitoba writers. She said limiting funding and help from people had an impact that they were struggling., an issue facing arts organizations across the country.

Last year, the organization conducted a feasibility study to determine the next step forward.

"We decided we really need to get a very clear picture of what is going on here, so that we're not just trying to keep something afloat if it's not actually able to stay afloat," Diehl said.

The study determined that the organization should disband.

"The current system is not working, and the landscape has become increasingly unstable," the study, written by Kayla Calder, said. "Disbanding the umbrella program creates an opportunity to explore new approaches to some awards and allows space for new initiatives to emerge."

"I know all of us in the coalition have really been labouring a way to make this happen, because we absolutely understand the critical value of it, but the current structure just became insupportable," Diehl said.

While the awards are currently going dormant, Diehl is optimistic that someone will help turn the page on something new.

"We are standing by to definitely pass the torch for whatever comes next," she said. "We're not taking our marbles and running off…we're getting out of the way so that whatever might emerge can emerge."

The decision will be discussed during meetings at the Carol Shields Auditorium at Millennium Library on Aug. 28 and 29. The meetings on both nights start at 6:30 p.m., and people are asked to register online to attend.