tonight! the ottawa poets laureate, Véronique Sylvain + David O’Meara, (in-person + livestream,

tonight via the ottawa international writers festival:

our two new Ottawa Poets Laureate--Véronique Sylvain (French) + David O’Meara (English)--offer their debut laureate readings at 6:30pm as part of the John Newlove Poetry Awards event! accompanied by a brief reading by Blaine Marchand acknowledging Ottawa Poet Laureate Catherine Ahearn, who became Canada's first municipal poet laureate when she originated the role for Ottawa in 1982!

Club Saw • 67 Nicholas Street, Ottawa • 6:30pm • free event

for further information on tonight's event (and link for livestream) ; for further information on the Ottawa Poets Laureate ; for further information on Catherine Ahearn ;

Ottawa Poets Laureate activity: David O'Meara + Véronique Sylvain,

Véronique Sylvain will be reading a poem at Ottawa City Hall, Heritage Building (Elgin Street Entrance) as part of a flag-raising ceremony to celebrate Franco-Ontarian Day. 8:30am, Wednesday, September 25, 2024 (in case of rain, this will take place inside City Hall at Jean Pigott Place). David O'Meara was interviewed by rob mclennan for periodicities: a journal of poetry and poetics, and got a nice write-up by Lynn Saxberg in the Ottawa Citizen. Don't forget that David O'Meara launches his debut novel, Chandelier, in Ottawa at 6:30pm on Wednesday, September 18 at The Rainbow, and that he Véronique Sylvain give their first official readings as Poets Laureate for the City of Ottawa as part of an event through the Ottawa International Writers Festival, Tuesday, October 1, 2024 at 6:30pm!

Ottawa Poets Laureate activity: David O'Meara + Véronique Sylvain,

Our new Ottawa Poets Laureate have been busy! They were only announced two days ago [see the French announcement here; the English announcement here], but already Véronique Sylvain was written up in Le Droit by Par Yves Bergeras, and interviewed over at Unique 94,5 FM, and David O'Meara was interviewed by Alan Neal on CBC Radio! Of course, David O'Meara will be launching his debut novel, Chandelier (Nightwood Editions, 2024) at The Rainbow Bistro on September 18, and watch for details soon for the launch of Véronique Sylvain's second poetry collection, En terrain miné (Édition Prise de Parole, 2024); and both will be reading together as their Laureate debuts on October 1st as part of the Ottawa International Writers Festival!