Still from Dreams in Vantablack, a 12-part mini-series directed by Faculty of Art & Science Instructor Ian Keteku, which will be previewed at the Toronto International Festival of Authors (TIFA) on September 22.
OCAD U partners with Canada’s largest literary festival
On September 22, Canada’s largest literary festival will kick off at Toronto’s Harbourfront Centre. This year, the festival’s programming will be enriched by the voices of established and emerging writers from OCAD University’s Creative Writing program.
Faculty and staff from OCAD U will join the thousands of authors the Toronto International Festival of Authors (TIFA) has welcomed to its stages since 1974, from more than 100 countries, including 22 Nobel Laureates and countless other award winners. The festival runs until October 2 in various indoor and outdoor spaces located at 235 Queens Quay West.
For over 40 years, TIFA has inspired and connected audiences through the art of stories, offering a breadth of bold and accessible literary experiences over the event’s 11 days, including keynote addresses, book launches, conferences, workshops, performances, special award celebrations, alongside artists’ talks, readings, interviews and discussions.
“This is an exciting moment for our students as TIFA provides our emerging writers with the opportunity to showcase their talent and skills to the public while connecting with a diverse range of established authors in the Canadian and international literary community,” notes award-winning prose poet Catherine Black, who is the Chair of the Creative Writing program and an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Arts & Science at OCAD U.
“As faculty, we are thrilled to see our students shine, bringing their words to life both on and off the page in what is a unique and dynamic festival environment,” Black continues.
Through this year's official partnership with OCAD U TIFA will present a sneak peek screening of Dreams in Vantablack, a mini-series directed by Faculty of Arts & Science Instructor Ian Keteku that features 12 Black youth poets, including Creative Writing students. The series will be officially available to stream via CBC Gem on September 29.
“By having our series highlighted at TIFA it introduces lovers of literature to a batch of new, exciting and profound voices. It makes a statement that these young writers of colour need to be included within the cannon of Canadian poetry,” notes Keteku.
Additionally, throughout the festival there will be a holographic display of student writers performing their works in an installation titled Poetic Projections. Visitors can also pick up an original piece of writing as part of a fundraiser for Pulse, Creative Writing’s annual print and digital journal that showcases the dynamic performance and text-based works that emerge from the program.
These partnered events will offer professional development and experiential learning opportunities for current students as well as the occasion for audiences to connect with the University's community of talented creative writers.
“TIFA celebrates everything good about writers and what they do for our culture. It allows Canadian literature to stand beside some of the most vital and interesting work from across the globe,” notes Juno-award winning Professor Lillian Allen, who was a driving force behind the creation of the program.
“I am particularly excited about its bold steps to get in front of the curve to support what's bubbling up within communities in writing culture. We are in for an expanding world of possibilities as language is being pushed in all directions,” Allen continues.
Established in 2018, Creative Writing at OCAD U is a hands-on, studio-based, undergraduate program that uniquely supports students’ development of their literary voices in the context of an art and design education. It cultivates real-world experiences for students and their work, to engage and enrich a literary ecology on and off campus as they forge a culture of transformation.
With diverse cohorts that include hip-hop artists, spoken word performers, community organizers, established writers and individuals returning to postsecondary education after years away, the program emphasizes the production of spoken, written, visual and verbal texts as well as experimental language forms that exist both inside and outside established genres.
More about OCAD University partnered events at TIFA
Dreams in Vantablack: Film Screening
September 22
7:30 p.m.
Fleck Dance Theatre
Directed by Faculty of Arts & Science Instructor, Ian Keteku
This short film blends live action and animation, while communicating the stories of 12 Black youth poets from across Ontario. The cast explores issues such as bullying, racism, mental health, loss and love as well as Black identity while contextualizing their various poetry practices. The screening will be followed by a panel discussion/performance featuring director Ian Keteku and poets from the cast.
Poetic Projections
Throughout the festival
7 to 11 p.m.
Brigantine Patio
A series of poetic installations featuring writers from the Creative Writing program will be presented in collaboration with OCAD U's Eco-Poetics as well as installation artists Reanna Niceforo and Philip Sutherland. Projected spoken word performances will immerse visitors in a thought-provoking audio/visual soundscape that addresses issues such as racism, mental health, beauty and joy. Curated by Chair of the Creative Writing program Catherine Black, Professor Lillian Allen and Creative Writing Instructor Ian Keteku.
Writers Behind Typewriters
September 23 and 24 & October 1 and 2
5:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Brigantine Room
Throughout the festival student writers will be producing custom poetry for festival goers, on a by-donation basis. The poets will ask a series of prompt questions and draft a short poem based on the answers. All proceeds benefit Pulse, a student-produced publication featuring literary work by the OCAD U Creative Writing program.