Unspoken Truths: A Poetry Workshop with Evelyn Lau on Thursday, February 12, 2026

Join celebrated poet and memoirist Evelyn Lau for an immersive poetry writing workshop designed to inspire, challenge, and refine your craft. Drawing from over three decades of experience, Lau will guide participants through a generative writing exercise, close readings, and discussions on form, voice, imagery, and revision

Whether you’re new to poetry or looking to deepen your practice, this workshop offers a supportive space to explore your creative expression and receive thoughtful feedback from one of Canada’s most acclaimed literary figures.

Please bring a notebook, pen, and any poems-in-progress you'd like to work on.

Location: Peña Room (Irving K. Barber Learning Centre, Level 3), UBC Campus

Date & Time: Thursday, October 16 – 3.00-4.00PM PT

Registration

The John Fluevog Shoes Emerging Artist* Grant

The John Fluevog Shoes Emerging Artist* Grant is intended to help emerging artists develop their skills and increase the visibility of their artwork. The winner will receive $10,000 towards their artistic work, a pair of Fluevogs and a heap of recognition within the best community of shoe fans ever!

As makers of unique soles for unique souls since 1970, John Fluevog Shoes has long been a friend to artists of the gifted and aspiring variety. Constantly inspired by the individuals we are fortunate to call ‘Fluevogers’, we are driven by admiration and gratitude to support the growth and development of such up-and-coming talent.

The Award is open to a variety of visual art media, including but not limited to photography, textiles, painting, drawing, illustration, sculpture, mixed media, and others. Emerging artists without access to major funding are encouraged to apply.

Learn more about the previous winners Nico Williams, Anna Williams, Francisco Berlanga, Alexandria Masse, Adrienne Pan, Murugi Thande and Studio Rat (Emily Allan and Dom Di Libero)

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Connecting Artists with Engagers & Employers on CultureBrew.Art

 

 CultureBrew.Art is a digital platform that promotes and fosters intersectional interculturalism throughout Canada's professional literary, media, performing, and visual arts sectors by facilitating opportunities and connecting Indigenous and racialized artists.  Featuring a Canada-wide searchable database of Indigenous and racialized literary, media, performing, and visual arts professionals. 

"The Life of a Writer" - A Conversation with UBC Library’s Writer-in-Residence Evelyn Lau

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This is a special literary Q&A session featuring acclaimed poet and memoirist Evelyn Lau, in conversation with Bonnie Nish, Executive Director of Word Vancouver Festival. This engaging dialogue offers audiences a rare opportunity to hear directly from one of Canada’s most influential literary voices as she reflects on her decades-long writing journey—from her groundbreaking debut Runaway: Diary of a Street Kid to her most recent poetry collections. 

 This intimate conversation will delve into Evelyn Lau’s creative process, her thoughts on the evolving literary landscape, and the personal themes that have shaped her body of work. Whether you're a long-time reader or new to her writing, this session invites you into the mind and heart of a poet whose work continues to challenge, illuminate, and resonate. 

 The Writer-in-Residence at UBC Library’s Irving K. Barber Learning Centre is a program designed to support and promote literary excellence within our academic community. Providing a unique opportunity for a distinguished writer to engage with students, faculty, and the local community through various enriching activities and events, UBC Library aims to foster a vibrant literary culture, encourage creative expression, and offer valuable insights into the writing process.

Words on Rice: The ACWW Open Mic Series

 

Hosted by the Asian Canadian Writers’ Workshop (ACWW), Words on Rice: Open Mic is a warm, welcoming space for anyone who identifies as Asian Canadian or mixed-race Asian Canadian to share their stories, poems, and creative expressions. Whether you are a seasoned writer, a first-time reader, or simply curious about exploring your voice, this series invites you to step up to the mic and be heard. 

Research shows that reading your writing aloud — particularly in front of others in a safe and supportive environment — can dramatically improve clarity, rhythm, and self-editing skills. Hearing your words helps you fine-tune tone, pacing, and flow, while also strengthening your voice and confidence. Reading aloud engages memory and comprehension, and encourages emotional awareness, allowing you to feel and shape your text in powerful ways. Join us to discover how giving your words a voice can make you a more articulate, confident writer.

Held monthly, this virtual series reflects ACWW’s long-standing mission to nurture Asian Canadian voices and to cultivate an inclusive literary landscape where every story matters.    Each reading is 5 minutes long.    (All participants may ask for feedback on their writing after the session via email). 

Our next hour-long open mic will happen on January 17, 2026, 12.00pm PST / 3.00pm EST.

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Registration

Inalienable Rice: A Chinese & Japanese Canadian Anthology available online

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Thank you to the University of Toronto Libraries and archivist June Chow for digitizing Inalienable Rice: A Chinese & Japanese Canadian Anthology, a landmark publication in Asian Canadian literature, now available open access. Inalienable Rice is a landmark 1979 anthology of Chinese and Japanese Canadian writing, considered a foundational text of Asian Canadian literature, showcasing diverse voices and experiences in the face of racist exclusion and marking a collective cultural assertion by a community previously suppressed in English-language discourse. Published by the Chinese Canadian Writers' Workshop (CCWW) and the Powell Street Revue, it featured early works by writers such as Paul Yee, Rick Shiomi, and Sean Gunn, establishing a vital space for community storytelling and literary identity.