Diaspora Dialogues

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Emerging Playwright’s Residency Program

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DD’s inaugural Emerging Playwright’s Residency Program is currently under way. In partnership with select Toronto theatre companies and under the guidance of experienced dramaturges, emerging playwrights from diverse backgrounds will develop a full-length play over the course of one year, at the end of which there will be workshop readings of each playwright’s script at their respective host theatres. Congratulations to the playwrights who have been chosen to participate in our free residency!

Photo by Mayo Buenafe Jo Simalaya Alcampo plant whispering at the University of the Philippines—Baguio City

The 2014–15 Diaspora Dialogues’ Emerging Playwrights-in-Residence are:

Let the dialogue begin!

Happy Holidays

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They call it “the most wonderful time of the year,” and in honour of that we are offering a special on our TOK: Writing the New Toronto anthology series. Each title is specially marked at $5 or three for $10.

The series features some of Canada’s best writers such as Shyam Selvadurai, Priscila Uppal, Lawrence Hill, Emma Donoghue, to name a few, as well as the most promising emerging writers.

Spread the gift of literature today! Order books now by clicking here.

Happy Holidays to everyone from Diaspora Dialogues!

Open Call for Spring Mentoring Program

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Calling all writers, we are now accepting submissions to our mentoring program for the Spring session.

Do you have a complete or near-complete manuscript lying around or are you working on something you’re really excited about that you want to get off the ground? No need to look any further, we may be able to help!

DD offers a free mentoring program pairing aspiring authors with established writers to help ready a manuscript for publication. In addition, we will also help facilitate a plan to submit the work to publishing houses and offer opportunities to network with industry professionals.

To learn more about the program and download the guidelines and submission form, click here.

Deadline: November 22, 2013

Second Session of the Mentoring Program Is in Full Swing!

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Whereas our original program mentored one short story or up to five poems, the new program focuses on mentoring and developing full-length manuscripts, including novels, short story collections and poetry.

Our inaugural participants—writers Sheila Murray, Pratap Reddy, Adam Elliott Segal, Sanjay Talreja, Julia Zarankin, Marni Van Dyk, Becky Blake, and poets Anya Douglas and Yaya Yao—spent six months working intensively, one-on-one, with their mentors via correspondence. Their trusty mentors were Cynthia Holz, Shyam Selvadurai, Moez Surani and Olive Senior.

By the end of the session, each had completed one full new draft. This is no small feat!

The latest session has just started with a brand-new crop of emerging writers, including Manini Sheker, Joanne Vannicola, Mia Herrera, Derek Mascarenhas, and Deepa Shankaran. They are working with mentors Martin Mordecai, Cynthia Holz, and David Layton.

We’re pleased to have them join the program, and we can’t wait to see what great work they’re going to produce . . . 

To see more of Toronto’s best emerging writers, go here.

Interested in the mentorship program? Read more about it here. The next call for submissions will be going out soon. Sign up for our newsletter to receive it directly, or keep watching this space!

Introducing Spur

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We’re excited to announce the launch of Spur, Canada’s first national festival of politics, art and ideas. The festival is designed to engage Canadians in a feisty, cross-country search for ways forward on pressing issues.

Our first year will include Toronto, Winnipeg and Vancouver with more editions rolling out in 2014. Each city’s edition is themed as follows:

Spur Toronto: The Bottom Line (April 11-14)—The intersection of cash, civics and culture

Spur Winnipeg: Unnatural Histories (April 26-28)—The past, present and future of our human-made world

Spur Vancouver: Global Power Play (June 17-19)—The rise, fall and reimagination of societies

Spur Toronto’s eclectic mix ranges from panel discussions with The New Yorker senior editor Hendrik Hertzberg on vested interests in politics to politically hot theatre with playwrights Hannah Moscovitch, Michael Healey and Guillermo Verdecchia; debates from political operatives Chima Nkemdirim, Jaime Watt and David Herle on electoral alchemy to breakfast with first-time author Ayelet Tsabari with her brilliant short fiction collection and Ins Choi’s (Kim’s Convenience) brand new theatrical walking piece. There will be discussions, town halls, readings, performances, walking tours and funky late-night music at the Pilot Tavern to tempt you—and much more.

Book early so you won’t miss out! Tickets can be purchased at spurfestival.ca. Festival passes get you in to all events, as well as a private reception.

A festival that spurs thought into action, we’re launching the RBC Emerging Scholars program and the Spur Public Fellow to capture the ideas generated through the festival, which will inform our programming over the upcoming year.

Please follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook to keep up-to-date on all things Spur.

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