Programming | The Word On The Street

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11:00 - 1:00 :: Readings from Diaspora Dialogues

The Diaspora Dialogues annual mentorship program discovers the best new talent Toronto has to offer and matches them with some of our finest Canadian writers. Join us for a sampling of their city-focused stories and poetry. Enjoy emerging writers Tanya Bryan, Kearie Daniel, Chang Liu, and Leslie Shimotakahara, alongside award winning writers Marjorie Chan, Emma Donoghue, Lee Maracle and Shyam Selvadurai.
Learn more about Tanya Bryan, Kearie Daniel, Chang Liu, Leslie Shimotakahara, Marjorie Chan, Emma Donoghue, Lee Maracle and Shyam Selvadurai.

1:00 - 4:30 :: Toronto Mash-Up

Cultural remix at its most eclectic! For this special initiative, Diaspora Dialogues handed over stories, poetry and plays from its anthology series TOK to actors, performers, dancers and opera singers to reinterpret through their own artistic mediums. Come experience the creative energy that is unleashed when text meets re-interpretation – hear the original content read and then witness the transformation.
Learn more about Archer Pechawis, Amani, Martha Baillie, Fides Krucker, Nik Beeson, Waawaate Fobister, Leah-Simone Bowen, Peter Bailey, Donna-Michelle St. Bernard and more.

4:30 - 6:00 :: "Art, Revisited: Exploring Re-interpretation" Panel Discussion

In the age of audio and video remixes, mash-ups, YouTube responses and altered texts, does original context matter? Does re-interpretation enrich and enlarge a text? Or does it merely bastardize it? What are the relative strengths and weaknesses of different art forms in expressing the same story? Join Archer Pechawis, Stacey May Fowles and more of our Mash-Up writers and performers in a fascinating discussion about the nature of re-interpreted work. Moderated by Helen Walsh, with live illustrations created by Jibola Fagbamiye.
Learn more about Archer Pechawis, Stacey May Fowles, Helen Walsh and Jibola Fagbamiye.