City of Nanaimo set to Celebrate Local Poetry

April marks National Poetry Month

NEWS RELEASE - Distributed April 1, 2019 11:30 AM

April marks National Poetry Month in Canada, and Nanaimo is set to celebrate. Established by the League of Canadian Poets, National Poetry Month brings together schools, publishers, booksellers, literary organizations, libraries and poets from across the country to celebrate poetry, writing, small presses and the contribution of poets and writers to the cultural life of Canadians.

"April is the most exciting month of the year in the poetry world. Spring is about to burst open and isn't it great that we take this month of new beginnings in nature to write and share poetry with each other", said Tina Biello, Nanaimo's Poet Laureate. "Please pick up a book of poetry this month and read it. Your life might be touched by what poetry does best, 'it is the shortest distance between two hearts'. Happy Poetry Month and looking forward to all the events planned with the City of Nanaimo this year".

*APRIL 1 - LIVE POETRY READINGS Poet Laureate Tina Biello and Youth Poet Laureate Valina Zanetti will perform poetry readings to Mayor & Council during their regularly scheduled meeting. The video can be viewed live on the City's website.

*APRIL 1 to 30 - POETRY IN TRANSIT PROGRAM We’re looking for short poems (or excerpts from larger poems), 3-5 lines (50 words or less, PDFs only) for the Poetry in Transit Program. Write and submit your poems based on the theme “Caring for Others” for the chance to have it displayed on a City bus. Deadline for submissions is Tuesday, April 30.

*APRIL 1 to 30 - NANAIMO POETRY MAP Are you feeling poetic? Send us your poem about a place in Nanaimo and it could be featured on the Nanaimo Poetry Map. View the map and get full submission details @ www.nanaimo.ca/goto/poetrymap. There is no deadline for submissions.

*APRIL 4 - POETRY READING Join Poet Laureate Tina Biello at the Vancouver Island Regional Library (North Nanaimo Branch) at 2:00 pm as she kicks off Poetry Month in the north end of Nanaimo.

*APRIL 18 - CULTURE & HERITAGE AWARDS CEREMONY The awards ceremony will feature a poetry reading by Poet Laureate Tina Biello. Tickets are FREE but must be reserved @ www.porttheatre.com or through the Port Theatre Box Office @ 250-754-8550. Show starts at 7:00 pm (doors open at 6:30 pm).

*APRIL 20 - POET LAUREATE READING SERIES Join Poet Laureate Tina Biello at the Vancouver Island Regional Library (Harbourfront Branch) at 1:00 pm for her bi-monthly poetry reading series. April’s featured poets are “The Island Five”: Susan Alexander, Terry Ann Carter, Linda Thompson, Barbara Pelman, and Richard Osler.

*APRIL (DATE TO BE DETERMINED) - RAINY DAY POETRY A set of rainy day poetry will be unveiled outside of the Vancouver Island Regional Library (Harbourfront Branch) (full details to be announced at a later date).

*APRIL (DATE TO BE DETERMINED) - YOUTH POETRY ANTHOLOGY VIDEO LAUNCH Join us as we unveil Nanaimo's first ever youth poetry anthology video (date and details to be announced at a later date). Limited copies of the final collection will also be available in print from the Vancouver Island Regional Library (Harbourfront Branch).

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