Université de Sherbrooke
IN-25: Innovation B

In order to give arts and culture a prominent place, the Université de Sherbrooke launched its first Grand Literary Contest (Grand Concours littéraire) in October 2015.

This initiative stems from the Université de Sherbrooke’s Arts and Culture Policy. Adopted in June 2014, and becoming the first-ever university arts and culture policy in Québec and in Canada, it is in line with the University's Sustainable Development Policy (Policy 2500-017) and in compliance with the concept of Agenda 21 for Culture developed in Québec and abroad, a concept that includes culture in sustainable development strategies as a vehicle for democracy, intercultural dialogue and social cohesion. To that regard, the Grand Literary Contest is a unique opportunity for the university community to demonstrate its creativity, talent and boldness.

Adding to the singularity of the Contest is that not only the entire university community of the University can take part to it (i.e. students, graduates, staff members and retired personnel), but it is also open to students from the Sherbrooke and Longueuil higher education institutions (one university and three colleges from the Sherbrooke region and two colleges from the Longueuil area). The Université de Sherbrooke Grand Literary Contest thus becomes an opportunity for these educational institutions to promote the literary creativity of their student communities.

Each year, the Contest is organized around a specific theme on which participants need to base their literary writing on. This year's contest theme is dedicated to the Abenaki language, highlighting 2019 as the International Year of the World's Indigenous Languages, as proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly. Aspiring to become an exemplary environment for equity, diversity and inclusion, one of the key objectives of its 2018-2022 strategic plan, Université de Sherbrooke is deploying a series of promising initiatives designed to promote a more inclusive approach. The theme chosen for the Grand Literary Contest is in keeping with this spirit.

Finally, various prizes are offered to highlight the participants' creative writing, from scholarships to texts being published on the University's website and possibly in the University students literary journal.

Now in its 5th year, the format of this Contest not only offers a prominent place for art and culture within the University, but also has a unifying and collaborative dimension that can only be acknowledged.