To be in the midst of one of these fairs or festivals, or perhaps just perusing the sampling of this list, you might just get the feeling that poetry and literature are now flourishing.
“The Malahat Review celebrates its fortieth year in print this October (2007) and also marks the tenth anniversary of the death of Robin Skelton, the magazine’s co-founder and long-time editor.”
It’s happening in Victoria — the party, the talk (by Robert Bringhurst), the gala (with Marilyn Bowering, Robert Bringhurst, Linda Rogers, Harold Rhenisch, Neile Graham, Derk Wynand, and Rhonda Batchelor reading), and the puppet show (Tim Gosley performs “Robin Skelton: A Living Collage”).
Date: Wednesday, October 10 - Sunday, October 14, 2007
Victoria,
British Columbia,
Canada
http://malahatreview.ca/at_forty.html
“Presented by the Saskatchewan Native Theatre Company, the festival was launched in 2004 to display the diversity of writing by aboriginal authors and promote further understanding of aboriginal peoples.”
Date: September 27 - 30, 2006
Saskatoon,
Saskatchewan,
Canada
http://www.sntc.ca/Events/Anskohk.shtml
This Festival, epitomizes Montreal. Daring, multilingual, fun, unexpected, truly international—and open to the world.
Date: April 25-29, 2007
Montreal,
Quebec,
Canada
http://bluemetropolis.org/index.php
“The Place on the Net for Kids. First Calgary Savings Book Rapport Educational Programme of WordFest web site is definitely the place on the Net for kids concerning local, national and international children’s literature—not to mention an excellent resource for homework.”
See links for kids, parents and teachers.
Calgary,
Alberta,
Canada
http://www.bookrapport.com/
“The Calgary Spoken Word Society was formed in November, 2003 for the primary purpose of presenting an annual Calgary International Spoken Word Festival (CISWF). With great pride we are happy to announce that the first annual CISWF was a remarkable success! The CISWF was conceived and created by a native Calgarian, internationally acclaimed Spoken Word poet, Sheri-D Wilson. Influenced by the passion of its creator, the Calgary Spoken Word Society’s vision is to make Calgary the epicenter of this energetic and increasingly popular art form.”
Calgary,
Alberta,
Canada
http://www.calgaryspokenwordfestival.com/
“The CFSW is a festival of Spoken Word and Poetry that hosts artists from across Canada and international guests to celebrate and promote Spoken Word performance, to expand and cultivate the audience for this work, and to inspire networking between artists and organizers from various regions of Canada in order to foster a growing and interdependent national community of Spoken Word artists…. In 2004, the Festival Began as the Canadian Spoken Wordlympics.”
Date: held in October
past festivals in Ottawa, Vancouver, and Toronto,
Canada
http://wordolympics.com/
“Presenting Canadian Poetry to the WORLD! The Chocolate River Festival is aiming to become one of Canada’s premiere literary events, to be held annually over 3 days in late August. It was initiated in 2006 as the ‘maverick way to go’, founder Donna Allard.”
Date: 3rd weekend of August 2007
Hopewell Cape,
New Brunswick,
Canada
http://chocolateriverpoets.moonfruit.com/
“The Eden Mills Writers’ Festival was founded in 1989 and has taken place annually since then. Although it started out as the fulfillment of the personal vision of Governor General’s Award winner Leon Rooke, the festival has matured and expanded over the years until it has become a nationally acclaimed and widely respected literary event while still maintaining a small ‘footprint’.”
Date: September 7-9, 2007
Eden Mills,
Ontario,
Canada
http://www.edenmillswritersfestival.ca/
“The Fernie Writers Conference brings established writers to work with writers of all levels in an intensive workshop setting. By encouraging positive critique of work—both in-progress and new—writers sharpen and refine their craft over the course of the Conference.”
Date: Annual. Last held Monday, July 23 through Sunday, July 29, 2007.
Fernie,
British Columbia,
Canada
http://ferniewriters.org/
“ANIMATION SOUND POETRY DANCE THEATRE EXTRAVAGANZA. Conceived and Directed by Kate Alton and Ross Manson. Based on poetry of the Four Horsemen: Rafael Barreto-Rivera, Paul Dutton, Steve McCaffery, and bpNichol. Starring Jennifer Dahl, Graham McKelvie, Noako Murakoshi, and Andrea Nann.”
“What is a poem? In the 1970s, four Canadian sound poets turned the literary world on its ear. Now, director Ross Manson and choreographer Kate Alton have teamed up to bring us a playful tribute to the poetry of The Four Horsemen and a cheeky love-in with the swinging seventies. An outtasight, multi-media extravaganza with dance, song, video and animation that everyone can dig! So far out, it’s back in.”
Date: Running: March 13 - April 1, 2007,
Great Canadian Theatre Company (GCTC), Ottawa,
Ontario,
Canada
http://www.gctc.ca/seasons/06-07/horsemen.html
“On January 31, 2007, 72 poets will converge on the streets of Vancouver, British Columbia where they will duke it out poetically until one remains standing as the Individual World Poetry Slam Champion!!! … IWPS is an international Poetry Slam competition featuring 72 of the world’s best poetry slammers, competing for cash, publication honours, and bragging rights…. This is the first Individual World Poetry Slam Championship ever held outside of the US, the first in Canada….”
Date: Annual. Next: January 31, 2007 - February 4, 2007 in Vancouver (place changes each year)
Vancouver,
British Columbia,
Canada
http://www.individualworldpoetryslam.com/
In October, some of the world’s most respected established and emerging authors come together again for readings, interviews, round table discussions, talks, book signing sessions and award presentations. The Harbourfront centre also hosts International Readings throughout the year.
Date: October 18-28, 2006
Toronto,
Ontario,
Canada
http://www.readings.org/
Date: September 28 - October 7, 2007
Trois-Rivières,
Quebec,
Canada
http://www.fiptr.com/index_E.html
“Lambda Foundation: establishes Canada’s only national series of annual university scholarships in gay and lesbian studies. We produce popular Wilde About Sappho, Canada’s annual celebration of gay and lesbian literature, where audiences hear and meet outstanding authors. Mission: Lambda Foundation advances public education in Equality Rights by establishing university scholarships in gay and lesbian studies and by publicly showcasing the achievements of Lambda Foundation scholars.”
“LitFest was established in 2002 as the successor of the Alberta Book Fair, which was an annual trade fair for almost 20 years…. Since its inception LitFest has experienced a considerable growth and is now on its way to becoming one of the well-regarded literary arts events in Canada.”
Date: October 13- 15, 2006
Edmonton,
Alberta,
Canada
http://www.litfestalberta.org/
“This year’s theme is …. Poetry: Future (In)tense. What will poetry sound like in the future? What is a techno-poem? How will poetry fuse with other art forms like theatre or music? Instead of science-fiction, what would science-poetry sound like? …”
“Established in Canada in April 1999 by the League of Canadian Poets, National Poetry Month brings together schools, publishers, booksellers, literary organizations, libraries, and poets across the country to celebrate poetry and its vital place in Canada’s culture. Communities and businesses participate through readings, festivals, book displays, and other events.”
Date: April 2007: readings and events across Canada
Canada
http://www.poets.ca/linktext/npm.htm
Featuring the best in fiction, poetry, non-fiction, film and drama, the annual Ottawa International Writers Festivals are Ottawa’s Festivals of Ideas.
Date: April 15 - 22, 2007 (Spring Edition); October 14 - 21, 2007 (Fall Edition)
Ottawa,
Ontario,
Canada
http://www.writersfest.com
“A celebration of poetry and literacy in cities across Canada, the UK, and Ireland… The second annual Random Acts of Poetry week is a Canadian initiative that promotes poetry, poets and literacy in a fresh way to everyday people in their everyday lives. This year (October 3rd-9th, 2006), 27 poets from across Canada will be joined by 10 poets from England, Scotland and Ireland, making the event truly international after only one year. Watch for local poets from your community reading poems to people on the street, at bus stops, schools, libraries, hair salons and in local schools.”
Date: Annual. Previous: October 3rd-9th, 2006
Canada
http://www.abebooks.com/docs/randomactsofpoetry/index.shtml
The Shuswap Lake International Writers Festival, brings together poets, writers, songwriters, and storytellers.
Date: held in June
Salmon Arm,
British Columbia,
Canada
http://www.shuswapwritersfest.ca/
“TEXT is a conceptual art/media project that encourages artists’ off every medium to find inspiration through words and art as a whole. The concept is simple and unique: Through 1 chosen piece of text, 10 artists’ will express the text’s message through their art medium and will be given 2 weeks each (in sequence) to create the text and the art that preceded them as they see fit.”
“We are seeking visual and performance artists, writers, designers, and beyond. Beyond can be chefs, carpenters, fashionistas etc…”
See also the Facebook group TEXT Refashion: Project 2.
Date: Your deadline to submit your interest is March 20, 2008
Toronto,
Ontario,
Canada
http://homepage.mac.com/msoulard/Submission%20Call.htm
“Mr. David Brydges, Cobalt native and poet, having become interested in the historical and literary significance of physician and nationally renowned poet, Dr. William Henry Drummond, a major figure in the early part of the century in Cobalt, Ontario, has spearheaded a unique cultural opportunity for the area.”
“The First Annual Spring Pulse Poetry Festival will be held in Cobalt April 3–6th, 2008.”
Deadline for Dr. William Henry Drummond Poetry Contest is March 15, 2008.
See poems of the week archive.
Date: Next Festival: April 3–6th, 2008
Cobalt,
Ontario,
Canada
http://www.springpulsepoetryfestival.com/
Join Canada’s longest running summer gathering of Canadian writers and readers, featuring established literary stars and exciting, new voices… with opportunities for writers and readers to mingle amidst Rockwood’s heritage gardens.
Date: August 3-6, 2006
Sechelt,
British Columbia,
Canada
http://www.writersfestival.ca/
“Our aim was, and remains, simple—to bring writers we like to Regina, and get them talking and reading to a mixed audience of students, writers, university faculty, and whoever else is interested. And, creatures of winter as we are in late March, we want these visiting writers to help inspire spring, somehow—hence the ‘spring festival of writers and writing’ subtitle to Talking Fresh.”
Date: Next festival: March 23-24, 2007.Talking Fresh 5: "Writing and Faith". Luther College. Regina.
Luther College, Regina,
Saskatchewan,
Canada
http://www.luthercollege.edu/default.aspx?DN=5169,6560,5128,1,Documents
The 6th Annual Summer Dream Literary Arts Festival, Aug 19th -29th, 2009
Date: August 19-29th 2009
Vancouver,
British Columbia,
Canada
http://www.pandorascollective.com/sdrfestival.html
“the fair usually contains exhibitors with poetry books, novels, cookbooks, posters, t-shirts, graphic novels, comic books, magazines, scraps of paper, gum-ball machines with poems, 2×4s with text, etc. happens twice a year, started in 1994 by rob mclennan & James Spyker. now run by rob mclennan thru span-o.”
Date: one afternoon each spring and fall
Ottawa,
Ontario,
Canada
http://www.track0.com/rob_mclennan/small_press_book_fair.htm
“Victoria Arts Connection celebrates the literary arts with a unique interdisciplinary festival featuring: extensive trade show of book publishers, book sellers and related organizations and non-profit community groups, author talks & book signings, book making demos, meet the publishers, self-publishing and marketing workshops, children’s writers, youth authors workshops, interdisciplinary workshops, roving performers and an art exhibition ‘The Art of the Book’. Many events are free with others only $5. Free for youth under 16yrs.”
Theme for 2008 - “A Climate of Change”
Date: 2nd annual festival: March 10-20, 2008, Victoria, BC
Victoria,
British Columbia,
Canada
http://www.victoriaartsconnection.com/html/pfb08splash.html
“…the Scream had become more than just an annual outdoor reading. It was a celebration of the vast amount literary activity happening every day in this country. It was an affirmation of our indebtedness to everyone who reads, writes, publishes, discusses or gathers in the name of literature. “
Date: July 2007
High Park, Toronto,
Ontario,
Canada
http://www.thescream.ca/
“THIN AIR is a literary celebration, an annual week-long festival ofreadings, panel discussions, school shows, book signings, and professional development opportunities. It engages new and established writers, and is enjoyed by thousands of Manitobans of all ages and backgrounds in both English and French. Throughout each day, exciting events are scheduled at various venues across the city, including some in rural areas. The festival offers a taste of literature sure to satisfy any reader’s palate!”
Date: Next festival: September 23-30, 2007
Winnipeg,
Manitoba,
Canada
http://www.winnipegwords.com/
“The Vancouver International Writers Festival is one of North America’s premiere literary events, held annually over 6 days in late October.”
“Spreading the Word, the Festival’s Schools Program is the largest children’s literary event in Canada. Each year we present great children’s writers to over 6,000 BC children and young people, in English and in French.”
Date: October 17-22, 2006
Vancouver,
British Columbia,
Canada
http://www.writersfest.bc.ca/
Outstanding novelists and poets from around the world animate Victoria theatres, art galleries and heritage sites with memorable literary readings and lively discussions on-stage and off.
(Fesitval site is down last checked October 15, 2006.)
Victoria,
British Columbia,
Canada
http://www.literaryartsfestival.org/
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