Once again, I had the pleasure of programming an LGBTQ series at Blue Metropolis, Montreal’s International Literary Festival. The event takes place from April 26-29, 2018, and includes support from partners Air Canada and Never Apart. On the menu: on-stage interviews, public readings, panel discussions, and a new national literary prize.
And joining us will be Kamal Al-Solaylee, Marie-Christine Arbour, Nicole Brossard, Denis-Martin Chabot, Amber Dawn, Matthew Hays, Catherine Hernandez, Daniel Mendelsohn, Casey Plett, Guy Verville, Thomas Waugh, Shannon Webb-Campbell and Joshua Whitehead.
These authors will appearing at events all over the festival, but details for the LGBTQ focused ones are below. You can find out the rest of the programming at www.bluemetropolis.org.
Thursday, April 26
Prix Violet Metropolis Bleu : Nicole Brossard
Presented by Air Canada
19h – 20h
Never Apart (7049 St. Urbain), $10
In French
Join us for an on-stage interview with poet and novelist Nicole Brossard, winner of the inaugural Blue Metropolis Violet Prize. Presented by Air Canada, this award is the first LGBTQ literary prize in Canada to be awarded to an established writer for their body of work. Hosted by Denis-Martin Chabot.
Friday, April 28
The Violet Hour reading series
7 PM – 8:30 PM (doors at 6:30 PM)
Stock Bar (1171 Rue Sainte-Catherine East), 18 and over, $5
In English
An evening of short readings by LGBTQ writers. Be warned: This event takes place in the off-hours of a strip club in Montreal’s gay village. Featuring Kamal Al-Solaylee, Amber Dawn, Daniel Mendelsohn, Casey Plett and Joshua Whitehead. Hosted by me.
Saturday, April 28
Outside the Margins: Community, Representation and Resilience
2 PM – 3:30 PM
Never Apart (7049 St. Urbain), free
In English
Three Canadian writers speak about their latest books and about the power they find in writing about the lives of the underrepresented. With Amber Dawn (Sodom Road Exit), Catherine Hernandez (Scarborough) and Casey Plett (Little Fish). Hosted by Shannon Webb-Campbell (Who Took My Sister).
Hard to Imagine: Thomas Waugh on Teaching as Activism
4 PM – 5 PM
Never Apart (7049 St. Urbain), free
In English
After four decades at Concordia University, professor Thomas Waugh retired last year. We take the opportunity to retrace key moments in his legendary career, as he challenged academia, wrote or co-wrote fourteen books, broke new ground around sexuality studies in Canada, and inspired several generations of artists and activists. Hosted by Matthew Hays.
Sunday, April 29
Brunch littéraire pour les familles LGBT
10 AM – 11:30 AM
Hotel 10 (10 Sherbrooke West), Salle Godin
In French and English
Hosted by actress Fanny LaCroix, this bilingual activity for Quebec’s LGBT families is organized in collaboration with the LGBT Family Coalition. On the menu: readings, food and drawing activities. To register, write to margot.forte@metropolisbleu.org before April 10.
Juste un peu de gris ou la sagesse avant la beauté
4 PM – 5:30 PM
Hotel 10 (10 Sherbrooke West), Salle St-Laurent, $8
In French
A frank discussion about how aging is seen in the LGBTQ community and how the subject is treated by our invited writers. With: Marie-Christine Arbour, Nicole Brossard and Guy Verville. Host: Denis-Martin Chabot.