Calgary International Spoken Word Festival: Line-Up and Schedule Announced

(Full festival schedule and artist bios available at 2006.calgaryspokenwordfestival.com/media or by request)

The 3rd annual Calgary International Spoken Word Festival takes place April 25-30, 2006. This year’s festival celebrates National Poetry Month with a focus on Canadian artists, presenting diverse performances by over 30 electrifying poets, storytellers and multidisciplinary artists from across the country. This youth-oriented, world-class festival brings the page to the stage with Hip Hop, Jazz and Dub Poetry, rejoicing in all forms of the Oral Tradition.

New additions to the festival include Queer Conscience, honouring Canada’s queer voices, and Bravo!FACT Video/Poems, a thrilling foray into electronic poetry. The festival teams up with Coach House & Snare Books for the Open Minds book launch/open mic and with MC/poet Wakefield Brewster for the Floetry Poetry Hip-Hop Workshop. Big Bang Poetry & Music, the audience favourite from last year’s festival, returns with a mind-blowing line-up that features George Bowering, Canada’s first Poet Laureate, and a poetry party that will last ‘til daybreak. Champagne & Jalapeños winds things down with a fiery finish that will leave you wanting more.

The 2006 CISWF happens in the heart of downtown: the Jack Singer Concert Hall Lobby and Motel in the EPCOR CENTRE; the Beat Niq Jazz & Social Club; the Auburn Saloon, Calgary’s official theatre bar; the Glenbow Museum, Western Canada’s largest historic archive; and the Art Gallery of Calgary, home to cutting-edge contemporary art.

2006 ARTISTS INCLUDE:
Shone Abet (Calgary), Michelle Biden (Regina), bill bissett (Toronto), Christian Bök (Calgary), George Bowering (Vancouver), Wakefield Brewster (Calgary), Jason Christie (Calgary), Xstine Cook (Calgary), T.L. Cowan (Edmonton/Vancouver), Ivan E. Coyote (Vancouver), T. Crane (Calgary, Vancouver), Emily Elder (Vancouver), Jon Paul Fiorentino (Montreal), Catherine Kidd (Montreal), Shane Koyczan (Vancouver), Dale Lee Kwong (Calgary), Suzette Mayr (Calgary), Sean McGarragle (Vancouver), Motion (Toronto), Billeh Nickerson (Vancouver), Robin Poitras (Regina), Robert Priest (Toronto), Angela Rawlings (Toronto), Gregory Scofield (Calgary), Donald Stein (Regina)

FESTIVAL TICKETS AVAILABLE APRIL 1, 2006
Tickets range from $5-$15 – reserve by calling 403.686.4292

WORKSHOP REGISTRATIONS NOW OPEN
$50 – call 403.686.4292

CONTACT:
Sheri-D Wilson - Artistic Director
403.686.4292 - www.calgaryspokenwordfestival.com