“So many of our lives were affected, including students attending Carleton University. Classes were mostly online, social distancing was required, and the student experience changed dramatically. At that time, I had recently been appointed Chair in Teaching Innovation with a mandate to promote the arts on campus to empower communities and inspire student engagement. With limited options to gather in person, we created an opportunity for students to engage in the Carleton community by expressing themselves through their art.”
That opportunity took the form of the first-ever Carleton University Student Songwriting and Poetry Competition—which saw over a hundred students from departments across Carleton’s five faculties signing up to participate.
Dr. James McGowan, Associate Professor of Music
Their artistic submissions were then assessed by a team of professional judges, including Carleton faculty, instructors and alumni.
Prizes included cash awards for submissions deemed best in four categories (poems, lyrics, songs, and compositions), free professional recordings for the winning songs and compositions, and the publication of an anthology.