SPLAB

Seattle U

Registration is now open for the Cascadia Poetry Festival Small Press Fair, May 2-4, 2014, in the Paccar Atrium of Seattle University. Load-in is 4pm, Friday, May 2, 2014. For $100, each participating organization (not limited to small presses) will receive: Small Press Fair table, 4 feet. 4 Gold Passes (admittance to all events.*) Mentions on the website and in the program. (pdf of all this here.) http://cascadiapoetryfestival.org/contact

There is a limit to the number of organizations that can register for this. Details at the link about, or call Paul Nelson (206) 422.5002. Come help us celebrate the bioregion and create awareness of your authors and/or organization in the beautiful Paccar Atrium outside the 411 seat Pigott Auditorium, where the Main Stage Cascadia Poetry Festival events will happen. Our gratitude goes to Sharon Cumberland and Michelle Pelletier of Seattle U, the Spring Street Center and all the Festival sponsors.

Spring Street Center is available for your event, weddings, graduation parties, baby showers, lodging and other functions.

The second Cascadia Poetry Festival happens May 1-4, 2014, at Seattle University’s Pigott Auditorium and Spring Street Center. The following schedule is subject to change. A Gold Pass is $25 for the whole weekend and you can get your Gold Pass here by using Paypal. Some events have limited space and will be first come-first served.

Mother Tongue Publishing

Thursday, May 1, 7:30p, Force Field reading, featuring poets from the first all women anthology of British Columbia poets in 34 years. Judith Roche is emcee. Poets are: Joanne Arnott (Richmond), Jaqueline Baldwin (Prince George), Yvonne Blomer (Victoria), Jen Currin (Vancouver), Daniela Elza (Vancouver), Mona Fertig (Salt Spring Island), Cathy Ford (Sidney), Kim Goldberg (Nanaimo), Alisa Gordaneer (Victoria), Heidi Greco (White Rock), Sonnet L’Abbe (Vernon), Daphne Marlatt (Vancouver),  Hannah Main–van der Kamp (Powell River), Susan Musgrave (Haida Gwaii), Miranda Pearson (Vancouver), Linda Rogers (Victoria), Renee Sarojini Saklikar (New Westminister) and Melanie Siebert (Victoria) at Spring Street Center, 1101 15th in Seattle at the corner of 15th & Spring.

Friday, May 2, 9a-1p, Daphne Marlatt Workshop:  In a Word, or Many: Where Language meets Terrain. Limited to 15 participants. This poetry workshop (which does not exclude prose) will investigate the ways words come to us in the act of writing when we situate ourselves on the threshold between our outer and inner worlds, with language as the sill for that threshold.  We will look at how perception works linguistically, moving through lexicon and syntax, and relationally, within the locale, creatures and persons that sustain us. There will be writing time in the workshop as well as time for discussion and exchange. ($80 and not included in the Gold Pass.) Spring Street Center, 1101 15th in Seattle at the corner of 15th & Spring.

Friday, May 2, 3-5p, Living Room. A free and open democratic reading where people read their own work and listen to others in a circle format. No gold pass is necessary for entry. Spring Street Center, 1101 15th in Seattle at the corner of 15th & Spring.

Small Press Bookfair. Starting Friday at 6p. 30 small presses from around the bioregion display their wares and introduce you to poets from around Cascadia. Runs through the weekend in Paccar Atrium at Seattle U.

Friday, May 2, 7:30p-9p, Keynote Reading. George Bowering (Vancouver), Joanne Kyger (Bolinas), George Stanley (Vancouver), Kaia Sand (Portland) and Emily Kendal Frey (Portland). Pigott Auditorium.

Friday, May 2, 10p, Beer Slam, 8 Cascadia poets compete for the right to be crowned Cascadia Beer Slam Champ: Kim Goldberg (Nanaimo, BC), Heidi Greco (White Rock, BC), Robert Lashley (Tacoma and Bellingham, WA), dan raphael (Portland, OR), Anastacia Tolbert (Mukilteo, WA), Spring Street Center, 1101 15th in Seattle at the corner of 15th & Spring.

Saturday, May 3, 9a-10:10a, Cascadia Geography: Place & Spirit, David McCloskey, Professor Emeritus at Seattle U and Founder of the Cascadia Institute. The “Father of Cascadia” says: “Cascadia is a real place! A quick tour of the latest images and understandings of Cascadia’s geography and ecology making it a distinctive bioregion with its own character and context.” Paccar Atrium at Seattle U.

Saturday, May 3, 10:20a-11:30a, Panel 1: Cascadian Poetics: Innovations from Here. Nadine Maestas (Seattle) facilitates a panel on what is innovative in Cascadia poetry. Panel includes: Jeanne Heuving (Seattle), Joanne Kyger (Bolinas), George Stanley (Vancouver), Jen Currin (Vancouver). Paccar Atrium at Seattle U.

Saturday, May 3, 11:40a-12:50p, Panel 2: Geoactivism (Geography & Activism). Mary Baylor (Edmonds, WA) Facilitates a panel including: Joanne Arnott (BC), Eric De Place (Seattle), Trevor Carolan (North Vancouver), Susan McCaslin (Fort Langley, BC), Kaia Sand (Portland, OR). Paccar Atrium at Seattle U.

Saturday, May 3, 3-5p, Living Room. A free and open democratic reading where people read their own work and listen to others in a circle format. No gold pass is necessary for entry. Spring Street Center, 1101 15th in Seattle at the corner of 15th & Spring.

Saturday, May 3, 7:30p-9p Force Field/Feminists (Allergic to Cats) Reading. Emceed by Judith Roche (Seattle) and Jocelyn McDonald (Seattle) this is an all women reading alternating between Northern Cascadia poets and those of Southern Cascadia. Pigott Auditorium at Seattle U.

Saturday, May 3, 10p-? The After Party. 30+ poets from around Cascadia read one poem each with lots of time for socializing between the three sets. Spring Street Center Reception Hall (downstairs). Spring Street Center, 1101 15th in Seattle at the corner of 15th & Spring.

Sunday, May 4, 9a-10:10a. Roundtable Discussion featuring selected faculty members. A discussion of the work so far. What did you love? Paccar Atrium at Seattle U.

Sunday, May 4, 10:20a-11:30a. Panel 3: Geopoetics (Regional Ecology & Poetics): Gordon Miller (Seattle U), Facilitator. Panel: Sonnet L’Abbe (BC), Derek Sheffield (Wenatchee, WA), Melanie Siebert (BC), Renee Sarojini Saklikar (New Westminster, BC) and Daphne Marlatt (Vancouver). Paccar Atrium at Seattle U.

Sunday, May 4, 11:40-12:50p. Panel 4: Bridging the Border: Cascadia Poetry MOOC. Paul Nelson (Seattle) facilitates. Panel: Nadine Maestas (Seattle, Jared Leising (Seattle), Jim Jones (Seattle), Maleea Acker (Victoria), Tod Marshall (Spokane). Paccar Atrium at Seattle U.

Sunday, May 4, 3-5p, Living Room. A free and open democratic reading where people read their own work and listen to others in a circle format. No gold pass is necessary for entry. Spring Street Center, 1101 15th in Seattle at the corner of 15th & Spring.

Sunday, May 4, 7:30p-9p, Closing Reading. Heather McHugh (Seattle), Frances McCue (Seattle), Stephen Collis (Vancouver) and Maged Zaher (Seattle.) Pigott Auditorium at Seattle U.

Cascadia 3 is set for Victoria, BC, May 1-3, 2015.

Contact: Paul Nelson                                                                                      FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tel: 206-422-5002
E-mail: pen@splab.org

CASCADIA POETRY FESTIVAL TO BE HELD MAY 1-4 IN SEATTLE
Event Includes Workshops, Readings, and Panels, a Beer Slam and More

Seattle, WA, January 20, 2013—The Cascadia Poetry Festival seeks to examine the culture of this region by gathering poets from California, Oregon, Idaho, Washington, British Columbia, the Alaska panhandle and Western Montana to learn, share ideas and techniques, begin to discover the qualities of this bioregion and the possibilities for deeper connection between the inhabitants from all parts of the region. On May 1-4, 2013, renowned and  emerging poets from the region will present talks on Cascadian culture and illustrate how that is presented in the best poetry of the region..

Featured artists from Canada and the US include Joanne Kyger, Heather McHugh, Emily Kendal Frey, George Bowering, Maged Zaher, Kaia Sand, George Stanley, Daphne Marlatt, dan raphael and many more. A total of no less than 50 poets and artists are expected to participate and details are at www.CascadiaPoetryFestival.org.

The festival opens on Thursday, May 1 with the Force Field reading, featuring poets from the first all women anthology of British Columbia poets in 34 years. Judith Roche will emcee, 7:30pm at Spring Street Center, 1101 15^th Avenue  in Seattle. A workshop with Daphne Marlatt will be held from 9am-1pm on Friday, May 2, followed by full days of workshops, panels, a small press fair, and more through Sunday, May 4^th at Spring Street Center and on the campus of nearby Seattle University.

On Friday, May 2 at 7:30p in Piggott Auditorium at Seattle University, a Keynote Reading features George Bowering (Vancouver), Joanne Kyger (Bolinas), George Stanley (Vancouver), Kaia Sand (Portland) and Emily Kendal Frey (Portland). Afterwards, at 10PM at Spring Street Center, we will hold a Beer Slam featuring local breweries, and 8 Cascadia poets competing for the right to be crowned Cascadia Beer Slam Champ, among them: Kim Goldberg (Nanaimo, BC), Heidi Greco (White Rock, BC), Robert Lashley (Tacoma and Bellingham, WA), dan raphael (Portland, OR), and Anastacia Tolbert (Mukilteo, WA).

A closing reading will be held Sunday, May 4 at Piggott Auditorium featuring Heather McHugh (Seattle), Frances McCue (Seattle), Stephen Collis (Vancouver) and Maged Zaher (Seattle). For a full schedule of festival events, panels, and readings, see www.CasscadiaPoetryFestival.com.

All times, locations, and participants are subject to change. Please watch the SPLAB web site for up-to-the-minute scheduling changes. Fees: All Access Gold Passes are available for $25 and get festival attendees into all weekend events, excluding the Daphne Marlatt workshop, which is $80 per person. Passes may be purchased in advance through the SPLAB web site, or by contacting SPLAB at 206-422-5002.  All readings are a suggested donation of $10.

This event is co-sponsored by Seattle U, SICA, the Subud International Cultural Association, Spring Street Center, Naked City Brewery, 4Culture, The Sightline Institute, Mother Tongue Publishing and Casadia Now. SPLAB is an intergenerational writing, performance, resource and outreach center. For more SPLAB event information, visit www.splab.org.

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For information or to arrange interviews with faculty, contact Paul Nelson at 206-422-5002.