Atwater Poetry Project

We celebrated the 15th anniversary of the Atwater Poetry Project (APP) on September 28, 2019 with a festive evening of words, music, discussion and refreshments. Outgoing Curator Deanna Radford, who planned the special event, thanked the many contributors to the success of the poetry reading series and announced that poet Rachel McCrum will serve as Curator for the next year. Atwater Library Executive Director Lynn Verge opened the evening by paying tribute to founder Oana Avasilichioaei and the other Coordinator-Curators who have all served voluntarily.

From September 2004 through January 2019, the Atwater Poetry Project featured 278 poetry readings. Click here for the 15th anniversary slideshow with poets’ photos and names.

The Canada Council for the Arts awarded funding for the period from September 2019 to June 2020. The Atwater Library also continues to make a substantial contribution.

Please send inquiries to APP Curator Rachel McCrum: poetry@atwaterlibrary.ca.

2021 ONLINE Atwater Poetry Project Events

Wednesday, May 19, 2021 – 8:00 to 9:00 pm EDT
By Crowdcast: Readings by Conyer Clayton and Lauren Turner from their 2020 collections. Hosted by Rachel McCrum.
TO REGISTER, click here.

Tuesday, June 1, 2021 – 8:00 to 9:00 pm EDT
By Crowdcast: Jessica Moore reading from her new collection and in conversation with Giller Prize winner Johanna Skibsrud, who will also present new work. Hosted by Rachel McCrum. TO REGISTER, click here.

Past Atwater Poetry Project Events

Friday, January 31, 2020 – 4:00 to 6:00 pm
Bodies in Lyric – Tanya Evanson on Spoken Word: 
A co-presentation at CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY’S 4TH SPACE of the Atwater Writers Exhibition, SpokenWeb, and the Atwater Poetry Project. This talk will examine some current states in spoken word and look at the work of artists Kaie Kellough, Moe Clark and Cat Kidd. We round it all out with a live performance featuring Tanya Evanson on vocals, Jahsun on percussion and Jean-Michel Frédéric on keys.
NOTE that this event is NOT at the Atwater Library but instead, at CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY’S 4TH SPACE, LB 103, 1400 De Maisonneuve W.

Saturday, February 1, 2020 – 10:30 am to 4:30 pm
The Page with Ears Open – A Spoken Word Workshop at the Atwater Library with workshop leader Tanya Evanson, Antiguan-Canadian writer and performer. A co-presentation of the Atwater Writers Exhibition, SpokenWeb, and the Atwater Poetry Project.
Space is limited and ADVANCE REGISTRATION is required: Elise Moser at elise.m@videotron.ca.

CANCELLED: Sunday, March 29, 2020 – 6:00 to 8:00 pm
Readings by poets Canisia Lubrin, Klara du Plessis, and Monika Rinck. Presented in partnership with the Goethe-Institut and VERSefest Ottawa.

Wednesday, April 22, 2020 – 8:00 to 9:00 pm
Atwater Poetry Project Online presents poet Canisia Lubrin in conversation with Rachel McCrum. Canisia Lubrin is the author of the collections Voodoo Hypothesis and The Dyzgraphxst. 
Go here to register and watch the conversation between Poetry Project Coordinator Rachel McCrum and poet Canisia Lubrin.

Wednesday, April 29, 2020 – 8:00 to 9:00 pm
Atwater Poetry Project Online presents readings by poets Oana Avasilichioaei and Margaret Christakos.
Go here to register and watch the conversation between poets Oana Avasilichioaei and Margaret Christakos.

Tuesday, October 13, 2020 – 7:00 to 8:00 pm EDT
By Crowdcast: Readings by Montreal poets Klara du Plessis and Erín Moure, hosted by Poetry Project curator Rachel McCrum. Facebook event.

Tuesday, October 27, 2020 – 7:00 to 8:00 pm EDT
By Crowdcast: Poet John Barton reading and in conversation with Molly Peacock. Hosted by Poetry Project curator Rachel McCrum.

Monday, November 23, 2020 – 8:30 to 9:30 pm ET
By Crowdcast: Paul Celan/100: A Celebration of Romanian-born Poet Paul Celan.
Six poets – Erín Moure, Mark Goldstein, Jaclyn Piudik, Phil Hall, Oana Avasilichioaei and R. Kolewe – read, discuss and honour Celan’s influence on their own work. Facebook event.

Tuesday, January 26, 2021 – 8:00 to 9:00 pm
By Crowdcast: Provocations: A Mise en Translation featuring Elena Basile, Erín Moure and K.B. Thors, directed by Oana Avasilichioaei. In collaboration with La poésie partout. Facebook event.

Monday, April 26, 2021 – 7:30 to 8:30 pm EDT
By Crowdcast: A celebration of Poem in Your Pocket Day / la Journée du poème à porter in collaboration with the League of Canadian Poets.

Atwater Poetry Project Coordinators and Curators

Oana Avasilichioaei – 2004 – 2009

Katia Grubisic – 2009 – 2013

Darren Bifford – 2013 – 2014

Symon Jory Stevens-Guille and Charlotte Harrison – 2014 – 2015

Deanna Radford – 2015 – 2019

Rachel McCrum – 2019 – 2020

Archives

Note: Audio recordings of poet readings can be found at the bottom of each poet’s biography page. 

Thank-Yous

We thank our community of poets, audiences, funders, publishers, CEGEPs, co-presenters and other collaborators for their support over the past 15 years.

In addition to the coordinators and curators listed above, this list includes: the Atwater Library and Computer Centre, the Canada Council for the Arts, the League of Canadian Poets, The Writers’ Union of Canada, University of New Brunswick’s Poetry Weekend, the Quebec Writers’ Federation and its Writers Out Loud series, Vallum Magazine, Lectures Logos Readings, the Gail Scott Reading Series, Poetry In Voice/Les voix de la poésie, the Suoni Per Il Popolo festival, iPLAI McGill, Morris House Reading Series, Writers Read, CKUT 90.3 FM, VERSEfest, Librairie L’Eugélionne, and Eric Lewis.