Edmonton

This year the Edmonton Poetry Festival turns 20! That’s 20 years coming together as a community to enjoy the varied poetic voices that ripple throughout our region. 20 years got us reflecting on the importance of community and how everyone – poets, artists, audiences, volunteers, collaborators and more – is essential to a successful festival. 

SO we’re throwing a birthday party for all our members and you’re invited. Not a member? Show up and we’ll make you one! We’ll have poetic performances from artists in the Festival, musical interludes (including Tzadeka and the Murder Hornettes), special guests, and of course, CAKE!  Refreshments will also be available for purchase / donation.

Registration: The method you can RSVP through is currently to be confirmed. Stay tuned — you don’t want to miss this! Visit edmontonpoetryfestival.com/2025-festival/events-schedule to stay up to date. 

Venue

April 11, 7:30 pm
Ortona Armory
9722 - 102nd st NW
 

Saturday, April 5, 2025
2 – 4 pm
Strathcona County Library

Celebrate National Poetry Month with an afternoon of poetry, hosted by Regional Writer in Residence Anna Marie Sewell and featuring two local poets, Kayleigh Cline and Don Perkins. There will also be an open mic session for those interested in sharing their own work. This event is co-presented with the Edmonton Poetry Festival.

Registration: Free but limited. Visit scl.bibliocommons.com/events/67c7645aa8a83528000fc560 to reserve your ticket. 

Event Series: Spotlight, Open Mic

Venue:
Strathcona County Library
410 Festival Lane
Sherwood Park, AB T8A 5P7 Canada

Deadline to apply is May 9, 2025

GWDC’s Space Share Program provides free rehearsal space and mentorship to performance-based artists and collectives. Space Share artists will engage in some form of community outreach during their time at the Shumka Dance Centre, so watch out for updates on possible showings, workshops and blog posts from this fantastic group of artists!

• Sprung Marley flooring
• 8-ft tall mirrors along South wall
• Barres for barre work
• High ceilings
• Sound system with built-in speakers
• Common washrooms
• Good access to public transit

Studio address is 10515 111 Street in Edmonton

More information: goodwomen.ca/archive/space-share

The Thousand Faces Festival Association welcomes  artists and groups from all disciplines to submit proposals for inclusion of their mythically-inspired performances, films, and visual works at the 2025 Thousand Faces Festival.

Festival Dates: June 21 & 22, 2025

Festival Overview

The Thousand Faces Festival is a multidisciplinary arts festival in Edmonton, AB that celebrates and nurtures Edmonton's and Canada's richly diverse cultural scene through mythic art and food. Since 2012 we have brought together performances reflecting the richness of diverse cultures found within our community. Dancers, musicians, poets, painters, playwrights, and performers from many cultures share mythic stories ranging from short poetry readings to feature-length multi-disciplinary epics in our home on Alberta Avenue. 

We strongly encourage submissions from people of all backgrounds and look forward to continuing our tradition of Edmontonians of all backgrounds  discovering what connects them to each other when they share their cultures’ deepest stories through the arts.

Submission Details

The festival team is accepting proposals for mythically inspired performances and presentations for our 2025 Festival, scheduled for June 21 & 22, 2025, at our home at the Alberta Avenue Community Centre (9210 118 Ave NW, Edmonton). 

New for 2025, all acts will perform on our outdoor stage between 2 PM - 9:30 PM on June 21, and between 1 PM - 5 PM on June 22. This stage will be located in the parking lot to the west of the Community Centre. We encourage presentations that not only showcase performers and stories of a culture, but that have an interactive element with the audience, whether that be active interaction within the performance, or a short workshop in the art form before or after the performance.

If you are interested in performing at this year’s Festival, we ask that you please prepare and send us a proposal which includes the following information:

• Whether you are submitting on behalf of an organization, a collective, or as an individual
• A bit about yourself (or your organization/group)
• Your history of past performance or artistic work (including links to samples of your work if possible)
• Your proposed performance or artistic presentation for the 2025 Thousand Faces Festival
• Why you want to perform at the Thousand Faces Festival
• The myth your piece is representing or responding to (see the paragraph below for how we define mythology)
• The discipline(s) involved in your performance or presentation
• The number of performers participating in your piece
• The anticipated length of your performance
• Whether parts of your performance may be presented in shorter parts (teaser performances), or if the whole performance may be shortened if required
• Any potential Technical requirements or support your presentation may need or want (in particular, any specific audio needs).

The main thing we ask is that you propose something that responds in some way to the world(s) of what we call mythology. What do we mean by that? To quote Joseph Campbell: "Myths are public dreams, dreams are private myths”. To us mythology is, as Joseph Campbell also said, “ . . .the song of the Universe”. 

However, if you think mythology is a false construct, but believe in ancient stories or dreams for their deeper truths about the human condition and their possibilities for awakenings, please propose something that has to do with that! It can be as ancient, as modern, as reverent, or as lampooning as you want.

To apply, please email your proposal to info@thousandfaces.ca with the subject line “2025 Artist Application” by Monday, April 21, 2025.

Artist Benefits

The Thousand Faces Festival is proud of our long history of supporting mythically based storytelling from a wide range of cultures.  Benefits of performing at our festival include:

• Participating in a Festival that values artists and believes in fair compensation for their talent and hard work.
• Access to an artistic and administrative team that has extensive experience presenting a diverse array of culturally based artists and shining a light on the stories that underpin the performances
• The Thousand Faces Festival consciously creates and sustains an ecosystem of opportunity where artists may develop their craft in collaboration over the long term.
• The opportunity to engage with artists from a wide range of cultural backgrounds and disciplines. In the past this has lead to unique collaborative opportunities and development of performance works

*Please note  that you as the artist will be responsible for engaging and compensating any performers in your piece, travel to and from Edmonton, accommodations while you are in Edmonton, and any specialized technicians you may add beyond the sound technician provided by the Festival. Additionally, you will be responsible for all wardrobe, make-up, wigs, props, scenic, and sound design elements that may be required for your presentation. 

Questions? Email info@thousandfaces.ca for more information.

Heist

March 22 - April 13, 2025
By Arun Lakra
Directed by Haysam Kadri
Produced in Association with The Grand Theatre

Inspired by caper films like Ocean's Eleven, Heist is a fast-paced, heart-racing play about a diamond heist gone wrong. Can this band of criminals pull off the perfect robbery? Full of diamonds, guns, lasers, betrayal and an incredible cast of characters.

Age Recommendation: 12+
Content Advisory: This production contains explicit language, gunshots, non-toxic stage haze, lasers and strobe lighting effects.

Run Time: 1 hour and 55 minutes (Act I: 50 minutes Intermission: 20 minutes Act II: 45 minutes) All timings are approximate.

Venue: Shoctor Theatre (9828 101 A Ave, Edmonton)

Accessible Performances:

Sunday, April 6 at 1:30pm - Audio Described. Learn more and buy tickets here: secure.citadeltheatre.com/8729/8769

Saturday, April 12 at 1:30pm - Relaxed and Open Captions. Learn more and buy tickets here: secure.citadeltheatre.com/8729/8774

To learn more about Accessibility including gender-neutral washrooms, the accessible seating rows, sensory kits, video tours of the building and more, please visit citadeltheatre.com/accessibility

Tickets are available at citadeltheatre.com/shows/24-25-heist or by calling Box Office at 780.425.1820