A new poetry gathering space has begun at the Nottawa Art Studio and Retreat. Starting auspiciously on Friday the 13th of October, the event features an evening of spoken word poetry and open mic spots. The next event is scheduled for November 17th at 7 p.m.
New Poetry Party event launched
Kate Russell, poet and creative mind behind Carrot March Productions has teamed up with Lory MacDonald of ArtsFest Ontario to begin what will become a regular poetry evening every third Friday at Nottawa Art Studio and Retreat in Nottawa, just south of Collingwood.
An artist and Show Producer for Artfest Ontario, MacDonald is a leader in the arts community. Her entrepreneurial passion and creative ideas have inspired artists of all ages. She is dedicated to promoting and providing opportunities for artists to create, exhibit and sell their work. She is a recipient of the Collingwood Arts & Culture Award.
While the first event featured Wes Rickert, a sound poet who uses everything from toy trumpets to kazoos to accent his absurdist performance poetry, Russell herself bringing new poetry from her recent road trip to the west coast poetry scene, and offered open mic spots, this next edition is billed as a Laureate Lounge.
Owen Sound’s own popular and prolific 2019-2023 Poet Laureate Richard-Yves Sitoski will take to the ‘magic carpet’ to share his wordsmith talents. Sitoski is the Artistic Director of the Words Aloud festival. He regularly collaborates with Grey Bruce Pride, SHEATRE and the M'Wikwedong Indigenous Friendship Centre.
Joining Sitoski for the evening will be Collingwood’s 2022-2024 Poet Laureate Jillian Morris. As an Indigenous woman deeply curious about people, the natural world and life, Morris likes to ask questions, examine, explore and wander to tell stories in pieces. She will bring her voice and culture to the event.
Also booked for the evening is Tyneisha Thomas (Ty the Poetess) the current Poet Laureate (People’s Poet) of Barrie. Thomas will bring her dynamic spoken word style to the mic, offering poems from her book Bearing Fruit and promoting her unique style of heart-felt poetry and songs that speak to the soul.
The event will be interspersed with open mic opportunities for new and experienced poets to bring their own words to the evening. Admission is by donation and refreshments will be served. Come out and enjoy an evening with local poets at this refreshing new venue located at 2 Townley St., Nottawa. For more information contact carrotmarch@gmail.com.