I love words and believe in their power to bring people together. I write poetry and stories for children, hoping that if they get the truth about how much we have in common early enough, it will stay with them in strong opposition to everything to the contrary. I am a poet, married to a poet, surrounded by poets. I am a 5th generation Canadian who thinks in two colonial languages. For that reason, I am always looking for other ways to say what needs to be said.

I’m a writer and performer who’s lived and worked in Washington DC, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Barcelona. Since settling in Montreal, I’ve pursued my interest in children’s and Young Adult literature, publishing books for young readers and leading writing workshops in schools and communities across Quebec and Canada. Awards and honours include the QWF Prize for Children’s and YA Literature (twice); USBBY Outstanding International Books; Quill & Quire’s “Best of 2007”(Children’s).

For me, theatre is joy, imagination, energy, renewal, fun, bonding, and play. It is a big tent creative art, that can involve performance, craft, construction, lighting, sound, organisation, costumes and more. And most importantly, theatre fosters relationship building, problem solving and the celebration that comes from creating performances together.

As a musician, the majority of the poetry that I write is written to music or inspired by it. I share this process with the students I work with. My goal when working with youth is to show them that poetry is alive and it surrounds the world whether through song lyrics or nature. With simple exercises that expand into the more complex, I show them that anyone can write poetry, because all of us have a story to tell, based on the life that we are living.

i'm a twin (non-identical), a taurus and a mixed media collage artist Inspired by surrealism, my collages often feature bodies, landscapes or references to nature using painting and drawing media. Since 2013 I have been privileged to facilitate art workshops in high schools in Tiohtiá:ke/Montreal and Northern First Nations communities. I have a BFA in Film Production so when i'm not collaging you can find me on a film set.

Monique Polak is the author of 31 books for young people. She taught Creative Writing and Journalism at Marianopolis College for 35 years. Monique has a special interest in helping youngsters find the stories they need to tell. Monique writes fiction and non-fiction. Her historical novel What World Is Left is based on her mother's childhood experience in a Nazi concentration camp. Her 2022 picture book, The Brass Charm (Scholastic) also deals with the Holocaust.

Catherine Austen is a writer, editor, and creative writing instructor based in Gatineau. Her books for kids and teens have won provincial and national awards; her stories for adults have featured in dozens of journals and anthologies. Catherine has years of experience leading writing workshops with students from JK through CEGEP. Her workshops help students write short stories step by step: building characters and settings, prompting plot ideas, drafting scenes, and revising the finished work.

I am passionate about art and art education. I make art daily, primarily painting and drawing. I am resilient, resourceful and can make lesson plans with very little lead time and few materials if need be. I have been teaching since I was 16 years old (bartering drawing lessons for the use of a horse) and never stopped. I love nature and most of my work contains references to humans, animals and nature. Most of my work springs from personal observation either through sketches or my own photos.

As a multi-disciplinary artist, I embrace all forms of art as an important means of interpreting our internal and external world. I have facilitated ECA visual arts programs, community outreach programs, and corporate art activities. I was former owner and operator of 4Cats art studio hosting camps, classes and arts events for youth and adults ( 4CatsMontroyal) I have a Bachelor of Arts degree in Art History (UCT) and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in painting and drawing (Concordia).

From an immigrant family whose grandparents were illiterate, I now work full-time as a writer in a number of fields: fiction-writing for young readers and adults, journalism, documentary film, translation... I've visited schools in Canada, the US, Mexico, Cuba, the Balkans and several west European countries. And every time, I learn something new from the students.

I am a multifaceted teaching artist. Art workshops can include drawing, painting, collage, metal embossing, clay, and so much more. I collaborate with the school and the community to satisfy their needs, whether that be offering a purely visual art-making experience or reinforcing and solidifying learning, offering opportunities for well-being, and tapping into school-wide yearly objectives like racism, anti-bully, and positive character traits.

In the tradition of the Seanchai and the age old art of Storytelling, Patti Warnock aka La Contesse travels the globe, participating in festivals, teaching, collecting and sharing stories. Her travels, the legacy of the Blarney stone and her Irish origins, her childhood in rural Quebec and northern Canada all blend to inspire her own mischievous creations. The storyteller and teaching artist invites us to listen, to learn and to share our stories … Each of us has a voice and a story to heard.

Everyone is an artist! I lead music, sound, and multidisciplinary arts from early childhood education to adult education in-person and online. As a teaching artist, I use the arts to encourage students' sense of wonder, understanding of themselves and their experiences, and engagement in the world. I tailor each project to the interests of teachers and students, needs of schools and equipment available (use of found objects, acoustic instruments and digital music production possible).

I'm a puppeteer, clown, educator, and community engaged artist. Under the name of Lost & Found Puppet Co., I create original performances that explore themes of nature, family, cultural history, spirituality, human relationships to objects, and imagined worlds. I believe that the arts can be infused into any sector of society, providing communities with nuanced ways of exploring complex concepts. Recipient of Vancouver Mayor’s Arts Award- Emerging Artist in Community Arts (2010).

What can we make with a single sheet of paper? How about a mini book or a pop-up? Since 2003, I’ve enjoyed working with students, helping them explore the magic of paper: from simple creations to long-term projects in which children write, illustrate, and bind their own books or pop-ups. My parallel passion for languages is sometimes incorporated into my own work and the workshops I offer. I’ve had the opportunity to give workshops in cities and villages in QC, BC and Japan.

I am a practicing Montreal-based visual artist and batik designer. As a visual artist, I already had a number of collective and solo exhibitions in Canada and abroad. As a batik designer, I conduct batik workshops at schools, museums, cultural centers, and other institutions. I am also a dynamic art educator who believes in teaching and learning with compassion and empathy. I have been privileged to work with students from different backgrounds/walks of life. I also facilitate senior workshops

I have a BFA in fine arts, specialization in drawing, painting, murals & photography. I worked with the Lester B Pearson school board for ten years presenting www.abriefcanadianhistory.com multimedia music/Canadian History project. I received a MA in Art Education with a focus on documentary film, life history & a historic walking tour of Griffintown www.griffintowntour.com. My NFB animated films & graphic novels deal with the indigenous & immigrant peoples of Canada.