Sneak Peek BLUE METROPOLIS: NEXT SERIES Highlights Eclectic Events & Creative Workshops

The exciting thing about the future-it's always happening, and this spring it's happening at the Blue Metropolis International Literary Festival.

From March through May, the NEXT series once again spotlights Montreal literary community leaders with a focus on underrepresented communities and emerging voices. With six creative and skill-sharing workshops, four carte blanche events and lots of original content featuring local authors, community organizers, emerging writers, and up-and-coming literary curators, there's something for all avid readers, aspiring writers and community members.

Celebrate the work, know-how and initiatives of local creators and community organizations making a difference, and delve into original writing from some of the most exciting local voices. In person and online, the future is right here, right now. "The NEXT program showcases what everyone is up to. It is seasoned writers, editors and creators exchanging skills, sharing perspectives and bolstering new voices from the margins. It's a chance to gather and discuss the challenges of the moment," said David Bradford, Blue Metropolis Programmer at Large. Enjoy this sneak peek below at some of the extensive and diverse events at the 25th Blue Metropolis Festival!

From found texts turned poetic intervention to the do's and don'ts of the writing life, to podcasting, small press publishing and more-these six workshops empower established, exciting local writers and literary workers to highlight their practices and share their skills.

L'Euguélionne: Passer de la marge au centre- Librairie l'Euguélionne, le 16 mars, de 17h30 à 19h30

David Bradford & Tawhida Tanya Evanson: Writers and CALQ- Quebec Writers' Federation offices and online, March 18, 10:00-1:00pm

Dimitri Nasrallah: Sustaining the Writing Life- Hotel 10, 28 avril, 10-11:30am

Sruti Islam: Podcasting in a Weird Era- Hotel 10, April 28, 3:30-5:00pm

Ashley Opheim: Publishing in the 21st Century- Hotel 10, April 29, 4:30-6pm

Olivia Tapiero: Ecritures et résidus, effacements et extrapolations En librairie ou en plein air, le 22 ou 28 mai

These live events are with some of the city's creative movers and shakers. Music and poetry, anniversaries and local releases, and a podcasting team on the rise; throughout April, Blue Metropolis presents four carte blanche events that empower local curators and artists, and are bound to offer a fresh outlook on the Montreal Literary scene.

Weird Era- The popular literary podcast is produced in partnership with St. Henri Books. Here, the Weird Era team are in conversation with Arizona O'Neill at De Stiil Books, April 14, 7pm.

Marilou Craft x Mardi Spaghetti- The literary and musical scene comes together for a bilingual, improvisational evening of sound and fury at La Sotterenea, April 17.

Atwater Poetry Project: Liem, Halen, van Schaik- Atwater Poetry Project takes center stage at the Blue Metropolis Festival hub for a performance featuring 3 leading Montreal authors and their exciting new books at Hotel 10, April 17, 9:30pm.

Vehicule Press 50th Anniversary Bash- Celebrate a half-century of Montreal literary excellence with acclaimed Vehicule Press authors.

Fresh Imaginaries with brand-new podcasts

Cuddle up or go for a stroll with fresh podcast releases. Discover the Festival's newest literary walking tour and explore the worlds of two motivating stories on important current issues. Necessary insights, marginalized community perspectives, and some of the most exciting local voices-all available right now wherever you get your podcasts and on the Blue Metropolis website.

Tio'tia:ke/Montréal, a Foulée/Strides literary walking tour series: Writing a Decolonial Montreal- Indigenous and settler of colour authors Cason Sharpe, Tara McGowan-Ross and Symon Henry contribute unique insights and missing chapters to the history of the place they've called home.

Working Fictions tackle the cultural, environmental and personal moment- Original, exclusive short stories from Prathna Lor and Sruti Islam add to the rich Les Inédits/Working Fictions offerings.

Visit the Festival bookshop to find titles by NEXT authors, workshop leaders and organizational partners.

Blue Metropolis Foundation is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1997 that brings together people from different cultures to share the pleasure of reading and writing, and encourages creativity and intercultural understanding. The Foundation produces an annual International Literary Festival and offers a wide range of educational and social programs year-round, both in classrooms and online. These programs use reading and writing as therapeutic tools, encourage academic perseverance, and fight against poverty and isolation.

The Blue Metropolis Festival is one of the largest multilingual literary events in North America. For several days each year, writers from Québec, Canada, and around the world converge on Montreal. Festivalgoers are treated to live interviews, round-table discussions, public readings, debates, master classes, readings, and writing workshops. Every year, the Festival is built around several strong themes that bear witness to a keen social awareness and a passion for literature in all its richness.

The NEXT series is presented in partnership with COM-Unity, SRQEA, Metatron Press, Librairie l'Euguélionne, Quebec Writers Federation, Librairie St. Henri Books, La Sotterenea, Vehicule Press, RadioVM, Atwater Poetry Project, Weird Era and Vehicule Press.

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