Grain (magazine)

Grain (magazine) is a Canadian quarterly literary magazine founded in 1973 that publishes fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and visual art from writers and artists across Canada and internationally. The magazine has been associated with literary communities in Saskatoon, Regina, Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver and has featured work connected to institutions such as the University of Saskatchewan, the University of Toronto, the University of British Columbia, the Banff Centre, and the Canada Council for the Arts. Over decades Grain has maintained relationships with festivals and awards including the Toronto International Festival of Authors, the Calgary Literary Awards, the Governor General's Awards, the Giller Prize, and the Griffin Poetry Prize.

History

Grain was established in 1973 in Saskatoon by writers and editors responding to regional publishing gaps following activities at the University of Saskatchewan and community centres like the Mendel Art Gallery; early editorial leadership included figures active in forums such as the Writers' Union of Canada and events like the Saskatchewan Book Awards. Through the 1970s and 1980s Grain navigated Canadian cultural funding frameworks administered by the Canada Council for the Arts and provincial bodies, securing support alongside organizations like the Canada Council Public Lending Right and participating in networks that included the Association of Canadian Publishers and the Canadian Magazine Publishers Association. In the 1990s and 2000s editorial transitions linked the magazine to contributors and staff affiliated with universities including the University of Regina and the University of Manitoba, and partnerships with arts institutions such as the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity and the Vancouver Writers Fest broadened its reach. Into the 2010s and 2020s Grain continued to adapt to changing media landscapes while maintaining print production, engaging with grants from bodies like SaskCulture and collaborations with book publishers including McClelland & Stewart, House of Anansi Press, and Cormorant Books.

Editorial Profile and Content

The magazine's editorial remit emphasizes poetry, short fiction, literary nonfiction, and visual art, publishing work that intersects with writers and artists associated with institutions such as the University of Toronto Scarborough, the École des arts visuels, and the Banff Centre. Grain has sought manuscripts from established and emerging creators connected to awards and forums including the Governor General's Awards, the Giller Prize, the Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize, and the Trillium Book Award, often preferring pieces that dialogue with cultural sites like the Royal Ontario Museum, the National Gallery of Canada, and the Remai Modern. The magazine's editorial pages have showcased essays and columns by contributors engaged in pedagogical and curatorial work at places such as the Ontario College of Art and Design University, the Emily Carr University of Art and Design, and the Banff Centre, and have included translations and cross-cultural work linked to institutions like the Institut français and the Goethe-Institut.

Contributors and Notable Works

Over its history Grain has published fiction and poetry by writers with ties to major Canadian and international names and institutions including authors associated with the Giller Prize, the Governor General's Awards, the Man Booker Prize, and the PEN International network; contributors have included poets and novelists who studied or taught at universities such as the University of British Columbia, the University of Toronto, and the University of Alberta. Visual artists featured in the magazine have exhibited at venues like the Art Gallery of Ontario, the National Gallery of Canada, and the Remai Modern, and have collaborated with contributors affiliated with galleries such as the Mendel Art Gallery and curatorial programs at the Banff Centre. Selected works from Grain have later appeared in anthologies and prize lists connected to the Pushcart Prize, the Best American Poetry series, and Canadian collections curated by presses like McClelland & Stewart and Coach House Books.

Design, Format, and Distribution

Grain has historically produced a print journal issued quarterly, with design and production influenced by typographic practices taught at institutions such as the Ontario College of Art and Design University and printing partnerships with regional bookbinders and printers serving the prairie provinces; special issues have been guest-edited in collaboration with festivals like the Toronto International Festival of Authors and the Edmonton International Fringe Festival. Distribution networks have tied the magazine to independent bookstores and wholesalers that service Canadian cultural hubs including Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, and prairie centres such as Saskatoon and Regina; subscriptions and single-issue sales have been supplemented by presence at literary fairs like the Blue Metropolis festival and the Calgary Wordfest. Grain's layout and cover art have featured contributions from designers and illustrators with exhibition histories at the National Gallery of Canada, the Art Gallery of Ontario, and regional galleries including the Mendel Art Gallery and the Remai Modern.

Reception and Influence

Critical reception of Grain has situated the magazine within Canada's small-press ecosystem alongside journals such as The Malahat Review, Grain, Arc Poetry Magazine, PRISM International, and The Fiddlehead; reviewers and critics from publications like Quill & Quire and cultural commentators connected to the Globe and Mail and the Toronto Star have noted Grain's role in fostering prairie and national literary talent. The magazine's influence is evident in the subsequent careers of contributors who have won major prizes including the Giller Prize, the Governor General's Awards, and the Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize, and in its participation in networks administered by the Canada Council for the Arts and the Association of Canadian Publishers. Academic studies and course syllabi at institutions such as the University of Saskatchewan, the University of Victoria, and the University of Toronto have cited Grain as a source for contemporary Canadian literature and art.

Category:Literary magazines published in Canada