Blue Metropolis (also known as Blue Met) is an international literary festival held annually in Montreal since 1999. Founded by Montreal writer Linda Leith, it is one of the world's first multilingual literary festival.[1] In early 2011, Leith departed, and a new president and a new director of programming were hired.
The festival is put on by Blue Metropolis Foundation, a not-for-profit organization established in 1997. The foundation offers educational and social programs year-round, in classrooms and online.
In 1997, Leith went on to establish Blue Metropolis Foundation as uniquely 'created by writers and readers for writers and readers'.[citation needed]
The first Blue Metropolis Montreal International Literary Festival took place April 19 to 23, 1997.[2] Its programming, which took place in French or English or both, included the first Blue Metropolis Translation Slam and literacy/community writing activities, as well as readings, on-stage interviews, and panel discussions.[citation needed]
After the event, the foundation was able to expand its scope beyond the festival and organize educational programs for young people, from the primary school to cégep levels.[citation needed]
The name 'Blue Metropolis' was partially inspired by the philosophical essay 'On Being Blue',[citation needed] in which the American writer William H. Gass investigates the many different and contradictory connotations of the word 'blue'.
In 2017, the festival added an LGBTQ-themed stream called Violet Metropolis, in conjunction with the city's existing Violet Hour reading series.[3] In 2018, the festival created the Blue Metropolis Violet Prize to honor Canadian LGBTQ writers.[4]
Awards
The festival presents a number of annual awards.
Blue Metropolis International Literary Grand Prize
In 2013, the festival announced a new prize, the Premio Metropolis Azul. Given each year to an author from any country or region for a work of fiction written in Spanish, English, or French, the prize is awarded to works which explore some aspect of Hispanophone culture or history. The prize is sponsored by Ginny Stikeman.
The Blue Metropolis Words to Change Prize is awarded to a writer whose work connects communities, whether they be linguistic, religious, ethnic or other communities:
In 2016 the festival announced a new prize in association with the Conseil des arts de Montréal. The work is awarded to a first or second generation migrant to Quebec, residing in Montreal, from a multi-cultural community, written in French or English, for a first publication in Quebec.
Blue Metropolis Al Majidi Ibn Dhaher Arab Literary Prize
The festival in the past also awarded the Blue Metropolis Al Majidi Ibn Dhaher Arab Literary Prize. Named after the 17th-century poet al-Majidi ibn Dhaher, the prize was initiated in 2007 and is worth CAD $5,000. The prize is sponsored by the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage. Dr Issa J Boullata served as consultant for the prize and the jury is composed of an international roster of poets, novelists, and literary professionals. The prize is currently on hiatus.
Past winners of the Al Majidi Ibn Dhaher Prize are:
^"Montreal's multilingual literary festival celebrates its 20th anniversary - Concordia University". www.concordia.ca. Retrieved 2023-02-19.
^Cristi, A. A. "Blue Metropolis Celebrates 25 Years With Three Renowned Authors As Spokespersons". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2023-02-15.
^Peter Knegt, "Canadian LGBTQ literature is having a moment, and this Montreal festival is showcasing that". CBC Arts, April 18, 2018.
^"Metropolis Violet : Écrivain(e)s LGBTQ à Metropolis bleu". Fugues, April 19, 2018.
External links
Official homepage
February 27, 2023
blue, metropolis, this, article, contains, content, that, written, like, advertisement, please, help, improve, removing, promotional, content, inappropriate, external, links, adding, encyclopedic, content, written, from, neutral, point, view, april, 2018, lear. This article contains content that is written like an advertisement Please help improve it by removing promotional content and inappropriate external links and by adding encyclopedic content written from a neutral point of view April 2018 Learn how and when to remove this template message This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Blue Metropolis news newspapers books scholar JSTOR April 2018 Learn how and when to remove this template message Blue Metropolis also known as Blue Met is an international literary festival held annually in Montreal since 1999 Founded by Montreal writer Linda Leith it is one of the world s first multilingual literary festival 1 In early 2011 Leith departed and a new president and a new director of programming were hired The festival is put on by Blue Metropolis Foundation a not for profit organization established in 1997 The foundation offers educational and social programs year round in classrooms and online Contents 1 History 2 Awards 2 1 Blue Metropolis International Literary Grand Prize 2 2 Premio Metropolis Azul 2 3 Blue Metropolis First Peoples Prize 2 4 Blue Metropolis Words to Change Prize 2 5 Literary Diversity Prize 2 6 Blue Metropolis Violet Prize 2 7 Blue Metropolis Al Majidi Ibn Dhaher Arab Literary Prize 3 References 4 External linksHistory EditBlue Metropolis was inspired by an earlier event citation needed In 1996 three Montreal writers who were members of the Writer s Union of Canada Linda Leith Ann Charney and Mary Soderstrom organized a new literary event in partnership with the Union des ecrivaines et des ecrivains quebecois UNEQ citation needed Called Write pour ecrire In 1997 Leith went on to establish Blue Metropolis Foundation as uniquely created by writers and readers for writers and readers citation needed The first Blue Metropolis Montreal International Literary Festival took place April 19 to 23 1997 2 Its programming which took place in French or English or both included the first Blue Metropolis Translation Slam and literacy community writing activities as well as readings on stage interviews and panel discussions citation needed After the event the foundation was able to expand its scope beyond the festival and organize educational programs for young people from the primary school to cegep levels citation needed The name Blue Metropolis was partially inspired by the philosophical essay On Being Blue citation needed in which the American writer William H Gass investigates the many different and contradictory connotations of the word blue In 2017 the festival added an LGBTQ themed stream called Violet Metropolis in conjunction with the city s existing Violet Hour reading series 3 In 2018 the festival created the Blue Metropolis Violet Prize to honor Canadian LGBTQ writers 4 Awards EditThe festival presents a number of annual awards Blue Metropolis International Literary Grand Prize Edit Marie Claire Blais 2000 Norman Mailer 2001 Mavis Gallant 2002 Maryse Conde 2003 Paul Auster 2004 Carlos Fuentes 2005 Michel Tremblay 2006 Margaret Atwood 2007 Daniel Pennac 2008 A S Byatt 2009 Dany Laferriere 2010 Amitav Ghosh 2011 Joyce Carol Oates 2012 Colm Toibin 2013 Richard Ford 2014 Nancy Huston 2015 Anne Carson 2016 Anita Desai 2017 Charles Taylor 2018 Annie Proulx 2019 Premio Metropolis Azul Edit In 2013 the festival announced a new prize the Premio Metropolis Azul Given each year to an author from any country or region for a work of fiction written in Spanish English or French the prize is awarded to works which explore some aspect of Hispanophone culture or history The prize is sponsored by Ginny Stikeman Sergio Ramirez La fugitiva 2013 Luis Alberto Urrea Queen of America 2014 Junot Diaz 2015 Valeria Luiselli 2016 Francisco Goldman 2017 Leila Guerriero 2018 Blue Metropolis First Peoples Prize Edit The Blue Metropolis First Peoples Prize is awarded to a North American Indigenous writer for a work in any genre Winners have included Annharte 2015 Thomas King 2016 David Treuer 2017 Lee Maracle 2018 Blue Metropolis Words to Change Prize Edit The Blue Metropolis Words to Change Prize is awarded to a writer whose work connects communities whether they be linguistic religious ethnic or other communities Gene Luen Yang 2015 Abdourahman Waberi 2016 Imbolo Mbue 2017 Charif Majdalani 2018 Literary Diversity Prize Edit In 2016 the festival announced a new prize in association with the Conseil des arts de Montreal The work is awarded to a first or second generation migrant to Quebec residing in Montreal from a multi cultural community written in French or English for a first publication in Quebec Ghayas Hachem Play Boys 2016 Xue Yiwei Shenzheners 2017 Alina A Dumitrescu Le cimetiere des abeilles 2018 Blue Metropolis Violet Prize Edit The Blue Metropolis Violet Prize created in 2018 honors an established LGBTQ writer for their body of work Nicole Brossard 2018 Dionne Brand 2019 Blue Metropolis Al Majidi Ibn Dhaher Arab Literary Prize Edit The festival in the past also awarded the Blue Metropolis Al Majidi Ibn Dhaher Arab Literary Prize Named after the 17th century poet al Majidi ibn Dhaher the prize was initiated in 2007 and is worth CAD 5 000 The prize is sponsored by the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage Dr Issa J Boullata served as consultant for the prize and the jury is composed of an international roster of poets novelists and literary professionals The prize is currently on hiatus Past winners of the Al Majidi Ibn Dhaher Prize are Elias Khoury 2007 Saadi Youssef 2008 Zakaria Tamer 2009 Joumana Haddad 2010 Alaa Al Aswany 2011 Ahdaf Soueif 2012 Hisham Matar 2013 Habib Selmi 2014 References Edit Montreal s multilingual literary festival celebrates its 20th anniversary Concordia University www concordia ca Retrieved 2023 02 19 Cristi A A Blue Metropolis Celebrates 25 Years With Three Renowned Authors As Spokespersons BroadwayWorld com Retrieved 2023 02 15 Peter Knegt Canadian LGBTQ literature is having a moment and this Montreal festival is showcasing that CBC Arts April 18 2018 Metropolis Violet Ecrivain e s LGBTQ a Metropolis bleu Fugues April 19 2018 External links EditOfficial homepage Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Blue Metropolis amp oldid 1140395203 Awards, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
