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Upcoming Events & Calls for Artists/Poets

Find events and opportunities for artists including calls for public art. Find events and opportunities related to our Poet Laureate programs.

Upcoming Events:

Poetry in the Harbour: A Curated Community Reading! 

Wednesday, February 4 | 7pm | FREE
Piper's Lagoon Lobby, Vancouver Island Conference Centre (Entrance is at 80 Commercial St)
Join Neil Surkan, Poet Laureate of Nanaimo, for a curated evening of poetry by community poets!

Poetry in the Harbour

Wednesday, March 11 | 7pm | FREE
Piper's Lagoon Lobby, Vancouver Island Conference Centre (Entrance is at 80 Commercial St)
Join Poet Laureate, Neil Surkan, and special guests for an evening of poetry at the Vancouver Island Conference Centre. March's event features poet, Junie Desil.

Junie Désil is of Haitian ancestry, born of immigrant parents on the traditional territories of the Kanien’kehá:ka on the island known as Tiohtià:ke (Montréal), and raised in Treaty 1 Territory (Winnipeg). Junie has performed at various literary events and festivals. Her work has appeared in Room Magazine, PRISM International, The Capilano Review and CV2.

A UBC alumnus, a participant in Simon Fraser University’s Writer’s Studio, and current Uvic MFA student, Junie’s debut book of poetry eat salt | gaze at the ocean (Talon Books, 2020) was short-listed for the Dorothy Livesay Poetry Prize. Her second collection allostatic load (Talon Books) came out April, 2025.

Junie mentors poets at SFU's Writers' Studio and also teaches in SFU's Leadership Essentials Certificate program.

Current Calls for Artists/Poets:

Call for Performers - 2026 Concerts in the Park

Deadline: 11:59pm Pacific Time, February 8, 2026
We are looking for talented musicians to perform during Concerts in the Park 2026!  Preference will be given to local Nanaimo artists, but we welcome submissions from all regions.

Call for 2026-2028 Art in Public Spaces Working Group - Now Open!

Deadline: 11:59pm Pacific Time, January 25, 2026
The City of Nanaimo seeks applications for membership on its Art in Public Spaces Working Group, which consists of individuals who serve as knowledgeable volunteers, helping to advance the City’s public art program. More info. 

Questions?

Please reach out to the Culture & Events team using the info below.

Contact Us

Culture & Events
250-755-4483
cultureandevents@nanaimo.ca

Last updated: January 5, 2026

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