Poet Laureate Stage Takeover

Speakers for this event

• Bänoo Zan

  Bänoo Zan

  Bänoo Zan is a poet, translator, essayist, and poetry curator, with over 300 published pieces and three books including Songs of Exile and Letters to My Father. She is the founder of Shab-e She’r (Poetry Night), Canada’s most diverse and brave poetry open mic series (inception 2012). The monthly series bridges the gap between communities of poets from different ethnicities, nationalities, religions (or lack thereof), ages, genders, sexual orientations, abilities, poetic styles, voices, and visions. Bänoo, along with Cy Strom, is the co-editor of the anthology: Woman Life Freedom: Poems for the Iranian Revolution, scheduled for publication in 2025. 

• Daniel Maluka

  Daniel Maluka

  Daniel Maluka is a self-taught, Toronto-based artist and writer originally from South Africa. He merges Afrocentric influences with surrealist elements to explore the depths of the subconscious in his art. Daniel’s visually captivating pieces have gained international recognition, being featured in galleries across Toronto and collected worldwide.In addition to his visual art, Daniel has made notable contributions to literature. His works have been published in various magazines, and he has led numerous poetry workshops. His debut poetry collection, Unwashed, published by Mawenzi House, was featured in CBC’s “37 Most Anticipated Poetry Books for Spring 2024.” The collection is known for its visceral, image-rich poetry.

• Georgia Wilder

  Georgia Wilder

  Georgia Wilder’s publications include her poetry collection, “Atom-Bomb Nostalgia” in Best New Poets in Canada (Quattro). Individual poems and stories have appeared in Temenos, Prism Review, Dovetails, Bad Dog Magazine, and The Journey Prize Anthology. Her new manuscript of interconnected poems entitled The Change is currently under submission. She teaches writing and English literature at the University of Toronto, and for many years produced the poetry salon, Wild Writers. She now holds poetry and art events at the historic Foy House mansion on Isabella Street.