Wordstock Sudbury to continue after members reject dissolution

Despite a board recommendation that it cease operations, Wordstock members decided to continue because of its importance to the community.

The Wordstock Sudbury Literary Festival will move forward after its membership voted against a board recommendation to dissolve the organization during a virtual meeting on June 4.

The board had proposed winding down the festival in an announcement last month, citing growing financial and operational challenges facing arts organizations. However, after extensive discussion, members rejected the recommendation, emphasizing Wordstock’s cultural significance and its role in supporting writers, readers, and literary engagement in the community.

“Given the financial pressures and resource limitations we’re facing, we believe it’s time to have an honest and respectful conversation with our membership,” board chair Kyla Heyming told CTV News on May 28, ahead of the decisive vote.

In a news release following the meeting last week, the organization acknowledged the membership’s determination to preserve the festival, calling it a “literary gem” in Sudbury.

The membership has decided that the board’s structure and the festival’s operations will undergo changes this year to adapt to the decision, with further details to be announced after further discussions between members and the board.

The festival, which has been a staple in Sudbury’s arts scene, will now focus on restructuring while maintaining its commitment to celebrating literature.

The organization concluded its release by thanking supporters and stakeholders for their advocacy in keeping Wordstock alive.