SPARKS Literary Festival

Sparks 2023 Banner

2023 SCHEDULE

10-10:30: Opening Comments

SPARKS welcome from Dr. Nancy Pedri, English Department Head & Dr. Natasha Hurley, Dean, Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences. Stan Dragland tribute

10:30 - 11:30: Panel 1 - Theatre and Short Story

Moderated by Dr. Rob Ormsby

  • Bernice Morgan
  • Dave Sullivan
  • Jim McEwen
  • Sally Cunningham

11:30 - 12: coffee / book signing

12-1: Panel 2 - Writer in Residence Panel

Moderated by Dr. Jamie Skidmore

  • Meghan Greeley

1-2: Lunch break 

2-3: Panel 3 - Comics Panel

Moderated by Andrew Hawthorn

  • Georgia Webber
  • Paul Tucker
  • Kelly Bastow
  • Kate Beaton

3- 3:15: break / book signing

3:15 - 4:15: Panel 4 - Poetry and Short Story

Moderated by Heidi Wicks

  • Diane Carley
  • Delores Mullings
  • Maggie Burton
  • Leah Lewis

4:15 - 4:30: break / book signing

4:30-5:30: Panel 5 - Story

Moderated by Dr. Helene Staveley

  • Kristina Anne Stocks
  • Julia Laite
  • Sheila O’Neill
  • Chief Mi’sel Joe
  • Morgan Murray

5:30 – 6:00: Awards presentation and Festival closing

  • Sparks Poetry award presented by Nick Avis from Browne Fitzgerald Morgan Avis & Wadden law firm
  • Landfall Trust award presented by David Molyneux from Landfall Trust
  • Closing comments
  • Book signing


ABOUT SPARKS

The SPARKS Literary Festival was founded in 2009 by poet and professor Mary Dalton, who served as the festival's director for the first 6 years. Now organized by Memorial's Department of English with ongoing support from the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, SPARKS continues to celebrate the literary creations of Newfoundland and Labrador and showcase writers at various stages of their creative lives. It is what Dalton has called a "word spree." The festival also makes available displays of books and journals published in Newfoundland and Labrador and a mini-bookstore featuring works by the authors reading at the festival.

WHERE ELSE CAN YOU FIND US?

SPARKS Literary Festival is active on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube! Visit our pages for the social side of SPARKS!

The Sparks Literary Festival and Memorial's English Department gratefully knowledge our patrons: Cox and Palmer, The Landfall Trust, Brown Fitzgerald Morgan & Avis, Irish Newfoundland Association.