Who We Are
The Canadian Society of Children’s Authors, Illustrators and Performers (CANSCAIP), founded in 1977, is a national membership organization, a not-for-profit national arts service organization, and a registered charitable organization.We offer professional development, promotion, and support for the creativity, craft, and business practice of creators and performers for children and teens. As well as 400+ traditionally published Members, CANSCAIP has 600+ associate Friends that include emerging or self-published writers and illustrators, educators, librarians, publishers, and journalists. CANSCAIP is inclusive, respectful, supportive, professional, welcoming and proudly Canadian. CANSCAIP’s activities and resources include:
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Our History
CANSCAIP grew out of a Canada Day conference in 1977, organized by the Port Colborne Public Library.
Eleven creators for children—writers Claire Mackay, Jean Little, Madeline Freeman, Audrey McKim, Madeline Kronby, Bert Williams, Mike Wilkins and Nancy Cleaver; illustrators Alan Daniel and J. Merle Smith; and performer C. Sam LaBrecque—had been invited to share their expertise. Many were strangers to each other, and they all realized they needed (and wanted) to know others working in their field.
Out of this need for community and professional connections, CANSCAIP was born.
CANSCAIP will be celebrating our 50th anniversary in 2027!
For close to 50 years, CANSCAIP has been dedicated to Canadian children's authors, illustrators and performers and their work.
We provide professional development, promotion, and networking opportunities to over 400 professional Members and 600 associate Friends--we're the largest organization in Canada supporting creative work for children and teens. Canada's creators for young people have achieved great success here and around the world, and CANSCAIP has been an important part of encouraging that success.
CANSCAIP is friendly, supportive, inclusive, welcoming and proudly Canadian. Please join us!
CANSCAIP
Canadian Society of Children's Authors, Illustrators and Performers
Davisville Centre | 1920 Yonge Street, Suite 241 | Toronto, Ontario M4S 3E2
Email: office@canscaip.org
Phone: 1-416-515-1559