Take the time out to listen and appreciate the power of the written and spoken word at the 2013 SPARKS Literary Festival. Now in its fourth successful year, SPARKS will be held from 10 a.m. to p.m. on Sunday, January 20, 2013 at the Petro Canada Hall, School of Music. Free parking is available in Lot 15B next to the School of Music Building. (Map)
Unique in the St. John's area, the SPARKS Literary Festival features new and established Newfoundland writers in a variety of genres reading from their work and participating in informal discussions throughout the day.
For more information on SPARKS 2013 view our list of authors or consult our schedule.
Don’t miss it!
Symposium
This year SPARKS is collaborating with the Department of English on a poetry symposium sponsored by the Department. The symposium will open the festival on the afternoon of Saturday, January 19. Running from 2 to 5.15 p.m., with a break at 3 p.m., the symposium, entitled Strains in the Contemporary Poetry of Newfoundland and chaired by Patrick Warner, has two sessions and will take place in SN 2101 (science building on Memorial’s St. John’s campus). The first features St. John's Poet Laureate and retired professor of English Tom Dawe with haiku-maker and analyst Nick Avis. The two, who are also judges for the SPARKS Haiku Competition, will read a few poems and talk about the nature of haiku and its influence on their work.
The second session consists of a panel discussion, chaired by poet and editor James Langer, of contemporary NL poetry with panelists Mark Callanan, Danielle Devereaux, Carmine Starnino and Leslie Vryenhoek. Each session will involve audience participation.
2013 SPARKS Haiku Competition
The SPARKS Literary Festival is once again including a competition for the best haiku. For more information, see contest details and haiku guidelines.
SPARKS Prints
Candle burning has been created as a fundraiser for the festival. The 5" x 7" linocut image has been hand printed with the text in a limited edition of 100 on a letterpress by visual artist Teresa Kachanoski. The haiku by Sarah B. Wiseman is the winner of the 2011 SPARKS Haiku Competition. In creating this print, the artist has made a piece in the ancient tradition of haiga, a resonant juxtaposition of word and image which dates back to the time of Basho, in the sixteenth century, and even further.
For $25 you can own this small gem of art, while contributing to the thriving literary life of Newfoundland and Labrador. Those wishing to acquire a print may contact Janet Harron at jharron@mun.ca
