SASKATCHEWAN FESTIVAL OF WORDS SCHEDULE 2020
Join us online for the 24th Annual Saskatchewan Festival of Words.
Check out all the great sessions we have lined up for the WEEK long festival by scrolling down below.
All events are FREE but registration is required to participate.
Registration for festival events is NOW OPEN!
To register just click the "Register Here" button under the event of your choice.
Be sure to check out our social media to be up to date on all things Festival.
Download the schedule by clicking the "Schedule" button below:
MONDAY July 13, 2020
7:00 PM
READCEPTION
5 Minute Mini-Readings by: Naben Ruthnum (AKA Nathan Ripley), Steven Price, Jay Ingram, Amanda Leduc, Farah Heron, and Lindsay Wong.
TUESDAY July 14, 2020
12:00 PM
LUNCH IS LIT
Author Readings and Q&A with Bernadette Wagner and Joshua Whitehead
3:00 PM
DRAMATIC READING
Tune in for 4 theatrical presentations by Hardly Art theatre company followed by a Q&A with director and playwright Yvette Nolan.
7:00 PM
WORKSHOP: WRITING FROM ART with Bruce Rice, Saskatchewan Poet Laureate
A photograph or other work of art can stay in our minds for years. But why? Writing from art must do more than describe. Whether it's from a family album or in a gallery, the session will examine ways to bring the writer's imagination to works that we love and some that challenge us.
Sponsored by: Saskatchewan Writers' Guild
WEDNESDAY July 15, 2020
10:00 AM
WORKSHOP: CREATIVE WRITING FOR TEENS with Lindsay Wong
(ages 13-17)
“Every character should want something, even if it is only a glass of water.” – Kurt Vonnegut
"Eleanor was right. She never looked nice. She looked like art, and art wasn't supposed to look nice; it was supposed to make you feel something."
—Rainbow Rowell, Eleanor & Park
How do you create memorable characters that make up distinct, compelling narratives? How do your characters interact with their loved ones and handle stresses and conflicts? What obstacles and fears do your characters confront and overcome in their everyday lives? Come write with me, and we will cover exercises, strategies, and tips to help you get started. The last 20-25 minutes of workshop will be a Q&A. Bring your writing questions!
Note: This workshop is intended for teens (ages 13-17) who are passionate or curious about creative writing. All levels are welcome. Participants should have pen/pencil and paper. You will be encouraged to share your work, but participation is not mandatory.
Sponsored by: Wakamow Rotary Club
12:00 PM
LUNCH IS LIT
Author Readings and Q&A with the D.M. Ditson and Marina Endicott
3:00 PM
WORKSHOP: WRITING DISABILITIES with Amanda Leduc
Join writer Amanda Leduc on a part-history adventure, part-brainstorming discussion, all-round fabulous workshop on how to increase disability representation in your work in ways that centre and respect the disabled experience.
Sponsored by: Saskatchewan Writers' Guild
7:00 PM
INTERVIEW
Interview with Jay Ingram, science writer and former host of the Discovery Channel’s Daily Planet.
Sponsored by:
*Mutual funds are distributed by Desjardins Financial Security Investments
Dawn Luhning, Financial Advisor | #411 – 310 Main St. N. Moose Jaw, SK S6H 3K1 |
THURSDAY July 16, 2020
12:00 PM
LUNCH IS LIT
Author Readings and Q&A with Farah Heron and Lindsay Wong
3:00 PM
INTERVIEW
Interview with Paul Seesequasis featuring images from his book Blanket Toss Under Midnight Sun: Portraits of Everyday Life in Eight Indigenous Communities.
7:00 PM
WORKSHOP: WRITING THE REAL with Joan Thomas
This workshop will investigate the literary sweet spot where imagination and actuality meet and cross-pollinate. We will look at the approaches of various novelists who treat real characters and events in forceful and contemporary ways, and Joan Thomas will talk about the research and writing processes she has developed in writing fiction explicitly rooted in actuality (whether in history or more recent news). Participants will be invited to reflect on the artistic and ethical questions that writers need to consider as they locate, within real life stories, the subversive truths of fiction. Joan Thomas is the author of four novels, three of which are based on real life events. Five Wives, a fictional exploration of a disastrous missionary excursion in Ecuador in 1956, was awarded the 2019 Governor General’s Award for Fiction.
Sponsored by: Saskatchewan Writers' Guild
FRIDAY July 17, 2020
10:00 AM
TEEN READ OUT
Teen Writing Experience workshop students will read from their work from the week. In partnership with Sage Hill.
Sponsored by: SGI
The Teen Writing Experience is a week-long workshop for teenagers ages 14-18. Teens get to spend the week with a professional author who will lead them through writing and editing exercises. At the end of the week, teens get a chance to perform their works at the Teen Read-Out at the Festival.
If you would like to register your teen, click HERE
12:00 PM
LUNCH IS LIT
Author Readings and Q&A with Alicia Elliott and Joshua Whitehead
3:00 PM
WORKSHOP: INNERS AND OUTERS with Marina Endicott
From her early work in theatre Marina Endicott will offer practical exercises and techniques for realizing and deepening character. Bring a character you're working on already, or create one from scratch, for this exploration of how examining and defining psychological, physical and emotional traits and aspects can turn a flat sketch into a living, breathing human in your own work.
Sponsored by: Saskatchewan Writers' Guild
7:00 PM
SLAM PANEL
Join Edmonton Poet Laureate Nisha Patel and spoken word poets from across the prairies for readings and a panel discussion on the history of Slam on the prairies.
These are the amazing poets participating in the panel:
Namitha Rathinappillai (she/her) is a Tamil-Canadian published spoken word poet, writer, and workshop facilitator. She is based in Ottawa, and is the first female and youngest director of Urban Legends Poetry Collective (ULPC).
Gabe Castilloux (they/them) is nij-manidowag Anishnaabe, L'nu and mixed Scottish and French Canadian. They currently thrive in Amiskwacîwâskahikan. A poet, author and musician, Gabe took on the Edmonton scene by storm and ended up winning second place at the National Slam Poetry Festival 2019.
Amina Mohamed (she/her) was born and raised in Amiskwacîwâskahikan. Her parents are both immigrants from Somalia and her poetry has themes of home, belonging and the struggle of reconciling her culture with who she has become. Amina is a writer of words, a student of history and is committed to changing the world around her.
SATURDAY July 18, 2020
10:00 AM
KIDS INK
Make your own animation with the help of local animation filmmaker, Haley Nicole! She will introduce animation techniques that will allow you to bring your own story to life through the art of animation. Learn about the basics of animation and about accessible animation techniques that allow anyone to create their own cartoon no matter their skill level or access to technology.
This workshop is for kids ages 8-13.
Sponsored by: South Saskatchewan Community Foundation and Sasktel
12:00 PM
LUNCH IS LIT
Author Readings and Q&A with Naben Ruthnum (AKA Nathan Ripley) and Steven Price
Sponsored by: Brenda Walper-Bossence
3:00 PM
GREAT BIG BOOK CLUB
Discussing the novel Five Wives with author Joan Thomas.
7:00 PM
Casino Moose Jaw Presents: ANDINO SUNS, LIVE-STREAMED CONCERT
Tune in for the Andino Suns concert streamed live from the Moose Jaw's historic Mae Wilson Theatre stage! In partnership with the Moose Jaw Cultural Centre.
SUNDAY July 19, 2020
10:00 AM
PANEL: RIGHTS VS. RESPONSIBILITIES AS WRITERS
A panel discussion with D.M. Ditson, Naben Ruthnum (AKA Nathan Ripley), and Alicia Elliott
Moderated by: Amanda Leduc
Sponsored by: Moose Jaw Express
3:00 PM
PANEL: SASKATCHEWAN LITERARY CULTURE
A panel discussion with Bernadette Wagner, Bruce Rice, and Paul Seesequasis
Moderated by: Angie Abdou
Sponsored by: Moose Jaw Arts In Motion
Download the schedule by clicking the "Schedule" button below:
Thank You to our Funders:
