City of Nanaimo set to Celebrate Local Poetry

April marks National Poetry Month

NEWS RELEASE - Distributed April 10, 2014 9:24 AM

Summary

April marks the 16th anniversary of National Poetry Month in Canada, and Nanaimo is set to celebrate. Established April 1998 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.

Link to Strategic Plan: National Poetry Month furthers the goals of the City's Strategic Plan of by promoting local poetry as part Nanaimo's cultural vitality.

Key Points

Nanaimo’s inaugural Poet Laureate Naomi Beth Wakan will be making a series of appearances in April to promote poetry.
The City of Nanaimo has been challenged by Regina's Mayor Michael Fougere to participate in the Mayor’s Poetry City Challenge. Naomi takes on the challenge by giving a reading at Council on April 28.
The City of Nanaimo & the Nanaimo Daily News have created a new monthly poetry column "Calling All Poets" to promote local poets and encourage residents to write Nanaimo-themed poetry.
Visit www.nanaimo.ca/goto/poetry for more information on Nanaimo's poetry.