OCAD University congratulates Professor Lillian Allen on her appointment as Toronto’s seventh Poet Laureate! Allen teaches creative writing in the Faculty of Arts and Science.
Allen was recommended by City of Toronto staff for the role, which City Council has approved at its May meeting. Allen was nominated by a selection committee in consultation with the literary community.
"I so look forward to supporting and bringing forward the vitality and voices of so many others, most especially those of our young people as they articulate fierce ideas and their vision through the most beautiful, peaceful and powerful means of poetry,” says Allen.
Allen is an acclaimed poet, writer, performer and long-time arts activist and was named a foremother of Canadian poetry by the League of Canadian Poets.
A two-time JUNO Award winner and trailblazer in spoken word and dub poetry, Allen artistically explores the aesthetics of old and new sounds with her influential reggae dub poetry/spoken word recordings. Allen has been a successful cultural strategist, helping transform Toronto and Canadian cultural landscapes.
A recent release from the City of Toronto notes that Toronto’s first Poet Laureate was named in 2001. An advocate for poetry, language and the arts, the position honours a Toronto poet whose work displays excellence and has written on themes relevant to Torontonians. The Laureate is an ambassador for poetry and the arts and infuses poetry into a range of official and informal city activities to attract people to the literary world. The Poet Laureate’s mandate also includes creating a legacy project that will be unique to the individual. Allen’s legacy project will be announced at a later date.
Allen will hold the position for three years until December 31, 2026, or until a successor is appointed, and receive an annual honorarium of $10,000 for serving as Toronto’s literary ambassador championing local literary arts and wordsmiths.