The Ottawa Public Library is pleased to invite you to attend the celebration of Ottawa’s outstanding authors with the presentation of the Ottawa Book Awards / Le Prix du livre d’Ottawa 2026. Everyone is welcome to join this free event.
Ottawa Book Awards Ceremony
Since 1985, the Ottawa Book Awards have been shining a spotlight on the very best books published in English and French. With categories in both fiction and non-fiction, the awards celebrate the voices that make our literary community so vibrant.
More than just prizes, the Ottawa Book Awards are a celebration of creativity and storytelling. They honour local authors—past and present—whose words have not only shaped our community but also earned recognition on the international stage.
This year’s winners will be announced at a public ceremony on November 14th at 7:00pm at the Arts Court Theatre (3rd floor of the building located at 2 Daly Ave) with a reception to follow in the Black Box Studio (3rd floor).
The evening will begin with a keynote address by eminent writer, Iain Reid. Iain will speak about collaboration in the writing process.
The bilingual ceremony will be hosted by Hugues Beaudoin-Dumouchel with a reception to follow.
Our friends from Octopus Books will be on hand to sell the finalists’ books.
Join us and celebrate the talent and creativity of our local authors past and present and applaud their remarkable achievements on the literary stage.
For more information on this year’s finalists: Meet the 2026 Ottawa Book Awards Finalists!
Ottawa Public Library is committed to ensuring that all programs are accessible to everyone. If you need assistance registering for this program or require specific accommodations to participate, please contact us.
About our Keynote speaker: Iain Reid
Iain Reid has written six books, including his debut New York Times bestselling novel I’m Thinking of Ending Things, which has been translated into more than twenty languages and was adapted into a Netflix film by Oscar-winner Charlie Kaufman. His second novel, Foe, was also adapted to film, starring Saoirse Ronan and Paul Mescal. His third novel, We Spread, was nominated for the Governor General’s Literary Award. His newest novel, A New Kind of Clean, will be released in October 2026 and was co-written with the filmmaker, Ellie Foumbi.
Location and Parking – Arts Court Theatre
The award ceremony will take place at the Arts Court Theatre with a reception in the connected Black Box Studio. Both rooms are located on the 3rd floor of the Arts Court building. The easiest way to access them is to take the elevator to the 3rd floor.
Arts Court Theatre and Black Box Studio are located at 2 Daly Ave. Paid parking is available at the Rideau Centre (5 Daly Ave.) or at the Novotel Parkade (3 Daly Ave). Street parking is available in the nearby Sandy Hill residential area.
Visit the Arts Court website for more information about parking and transit options.
Accessibility at Venue
The side entrance at 67 Nicholas Street, open during Arts Court hours, includes ramp accessibility from the courtyard and a door actuator. There is also an accessible entrance at 2 Daly Avenue on Level 0, with ramp access from the sidewalk and an intercom for assisted entry from our front desk staff.
Additionally, when the Ottawa Art Gallery is open (check their hours here), visitors can use the 10 Daly Avenue or 50 Mackenzie King Bridge entrances and access Arts Court through the connecting doors.