Internship Opportunity

We are excited to announce that we are recruiting another intern for the 2013 Festival! We are currently seeking a Volunteer Coordinator/Special Projects Assistant.

Volunteer Coordinator/Special Projects Assistant (Internship)

The Word On The Street Toronto
Location: Toronto, ON
Website: http://www.thewordonthestreet.ca
Deadline for applicants: May 27th, 2013
Date posted: May 13th, 2013

About The Word On The Street
The Word On The Street (WOTS) Toronto, is Canada’s largest annual book and magazine festival; taking place in September each year, it now attracts over 215,000 booklovers to Queen’s Park Circle in downtown Toronto. One of our city’s best and most popular events—featuring a lively exhibitor marketplace, top-notch author readings and quality family programming—The Word On The Street Toronto is a non-profit organization that celebrates Canadian reading and writing, and advocates literacy.

The Role
The Word On The Street relies on the dedication and support of over 240 volunteers to bring the festival to life each year. In 2013, we are seeking a confident, organized Volunteer Coordinator to manage the Volunteer Program. There will also be a special projects component to this position, which will involve supporting the Festival Director with marketing initiatives and administrative tasks.

This is a full-time volunteer internship, running from June to end of September. Monthly honourarium for this internship is $1,000 per month ($4,000 in total).

Duties include but are not limited to:
Volunteer Coordination:

• Recruit approximately 250 volunteers from names of past volunteers, website inquiries and public recruitment strategies.
• Update and maintain our substantial database of interested volunteers.
• Liaise with and maintain good communication with volunteers in response to queries, etc.
• Plan and execute Volunteer Appreciation/training initiatives as directed.
• Schedule volunteers for festival day and pre-festival duties based on the tasks provided and volunteers interests/skills.
• Manage volunteers working in the office in the lead up to the festival
• Distribute and collect signed volunteer indemnity forms
• Update and distribute festival day information packages to all volunteers
• Secure and liaise with up to two on site trainers who will revise and deliver a short but necessary training lecture to all volunteers on the day of the festival, before they are deployed.
• Write monthly e-newsletters to keep volunteers involved with and knowledgeable about the 2013 Festival.
• Prepare merchandise, festival supplies and all volunteer information binders for Festival day.
• Write volunteer related content for the festival’s e-newsletter and blog and edit/proofread/fact-check the content of submissions by others.
• Be on-site on the festival weekend (Friday, September 20 – Sunday, September 22, 2013) to oversee volunteers, assist The Word On The Street team, and answer questions from visitors and exhibitors.
• Work to stay within budget when planning all volunteer meals and other activities
• Write a wrap-up report for 2013. The report should summarize the activities of the position and make recommendations for the following year.
• Create volunteer participation documentation as required (records the number of hours a volunteer contributes)

Marketing/Administration:

• Assist with putting together two exhibitor mailings
• Assist with office administrative tasks as directed
• Research, plan, and coordinate the distribution of all print promotional materials (Festival Programs, posters, bookmarks) throughout Toronto and the GTA.

Personal Qualifications:

• College or university education in event management or the arts, with a demonstrated interest in Canadian writing and publishing
• Event or festival experience is an advantage (but not a requirement)
• Highest level of attention to detail
• Exemplary interpersonal skills
• Excellent writing, copy editing, proofreading skills
• Excellent organizational, time management, and problem-solving skills
• Ability to meet tight deadlines and prioritize tasks according to urgency
• Demonstrated ability to work well under pressure
• Positive attitude and willingness to learn
• You must also be a mature-minded, confident, team player, who is able to maintain a sense of humour in a fast paced environment
• **Must be available the entire festival weekend (September 21st and 22nd, 2013)**

If interested, please forward your cover letter and resume, in confidence, by May 27, 2013, to heather@thewordonthestreet.ca. We thank all applicants for their interest, but only successful candidates will be contacted. Please no phone calls.

Festival News: The Open Mic Hour Returns to The Word On The Street!

After two successful years, we are excited to once again be hosting the Open Mic Hour at the hugely popular This Is Not The Shakespeare Stage! This stage showcases great Canadian young adult books, authors, and artists, and features genre-based interactive programming sessions, including the Open Mic – an hour of programming dedicated to, and delivered by, the voices of Toronto’s emerging young writers.

Aspiring young writers aged 13 to 19 are welcome to submit their work for consideration!

Accepted submissions

• Poetry
• Slam poetry
• Spoken word
• Short stories
• Short films
• Short plays
• Monologues
• Songwriting
• Comic/graphic novels

Successful applicants will be invited to present their work to the public on stage on Festival Day – Sunday, September 22nd, 2013.

The deadline for Open Mic Submissions is Friday, June 28, 2013. For more information, please read the Open Mic Information Package. Applicants under the age of 18 must also submit a completed permission form.

Those interested in participating can send in their unpublished written work to cailin@thewordonthestreet.ca or by mail to The Word On The Street’s office at 67 Mowat Avenue, Suite 242, Toronto, ON M6K 3E3.

Good luck!

Internship Opportunity

Great news! The Word On The Street is seeking a Programming Assistant (Intern) to assist the Festival Director in coordinating the artistic program of the 2013 Festival.

If this opportunity interests you, read on for more details:

Programming Assistant (Internship)
The Word On The Street Toronto

Location: Toronto, ON
Website: www.thewordonthestreet.ca
Deadline for applicants: May 1st, 2013
Date posted: April 17th, 2013

About The Word On The Street
The Word On The Street (WOTS) Toronto is Canada’s largest annual book and magazine festival; taking place in September each year, it now attracts over 215,000 booklovers to Queen’s Park Circle in downtown Toronto. One of our city’s best and most popular events—featuring a lively exhibitor marketplace, top-notch author readings and quality family programming—The Word On The Street Toronto is a non-profit organization that celebrates Canadian reading and writing, and advocates literacy.

The Role
As The Word On The Street Toronto moves toward its 24th festival, The Word On The Street is looking for a Programming Assistant to support the Festival Director with coordinating the artistic program of the event.

This is a full-time volunteer internship, running from mid-May to end of September. Monthly honourarium for this internship is $1,000 ($4,500 in total).

Duties include but are not limited to:

• Liaise with publicists, presenters, performers and hosts
• Maintain a database with up-to-date and accurate programming information; ensure author/book submissions are processed accurately and in a timely manner
• Facilitate the creation and mailing of all artist invitations and scheduling confirmations/festival day information letters
• Gather content for Festival Program (artwork, headshots, bios, book descriptions)
• Coordinate travel and accommodation arrangements for all pertinent authors
• Prepare comprehensive event tent binders
• Create detailed sales lists to ensure all required book titles are stocked by the Official Booksellers
• Draft and proofread programming content for Festival Programs, Toronto Star Festival Guide and website
• Create programming-related press releases, and media kits
• Contribute written content for a bi-monthly e-newsletter, festival blog and Twitter page
• Support the Festival Director with management of festival-day programming

Personal Qualifications:

• College or university education in the arts with a demonstrated interest in Canadian writing and publishing
• Highest level of attention to detail
• Exemplary interpersonal skills
• Excellent writing, copy editing, proofreading skills
• Excellent organizational, time management, and problem-solving skills
• Ability to meet tight deadlines and prioritize tasks according to urgency
• Demonstrated ability to work well under pressure
• Positive attitude and willingness to learn
• You must also be a mature-minded, confident, team player, who is able to maintain a sense of humour in a fast paced environment
• **Must be available the entire festival weekend (September 21st and 22nd, 2013)**

If interested, please forward your cover letter and resume, in confidence, by May 1, 2013, to heather@thewordonthestreet.ca. We thank all applicants for their interest, but only successful internship candidates will be contacted. Please no phone calls.

Pub. News – Griffin Poetry Prize announces 2013 shortlist

This morning the shortlist for the 2013 Griffin Poetry Prize was announced in Toronto. The prize awards $65,000 each to one Canadian, and one international poet.

The shortlisted Canadian titles are:

• What’s the Score? – David W. McFadden

• Sailing to Babylon – James Pollock

• Personals – Ian Williams

 

The international finalists are:

• Like a Straw Bird It Follows Me, and Other Poems – Fady Joudah, translated from the Arabic, written by Ghassan Zaqtan

• Liquid Nitrogen – Jennifer Maiden

• Night of the Republic – Alan Shapiro

• Our Andromeda – Brenda Shaughnessy

Each of the shortlisted poets will be invited to read at Koerner Hall on June 12th, and the winners will be announced on June 13th at the Griffin Poetry Prize Awards evening.

We have a copy of finalist David W. McFadden’s What’s the Score? here in The Word On The Street’s office, and we’d love to get it into the hands of one of our poetry-loving blog readers!  Just share your thoughts on one of the following topics, and you could win this collection of poems.

• What do you think of the 2013 finalists?
• Do you believe awards like the Griffin Poetry Prize help bring poetry to the mainstream of our culture?
• How do you incorporate poetry into your daily life?

 

Leave a comment on this post and you’ll be entered to win* a copy of What’s the Score? by David W. McFadden.

*Prize must be picked up from The Word On The Street’s office, located at 67 Mowat Ave., Suite 242, Toronto. The winner will be notified in the comments section of this blog post on Friday, April 12th, 2013.

 

Meet the Festival Director

Happy first official day of spring! Though the wind may still be chilly, The Word On The Street is already feeling rejuvenated.

Festival Director Heather Kanabe

In February we were happy to welcome Heather Kanabe to The Word On The Street Toronto as our new Festival Director. Heather is a skilled arts manager, with over ten years of experience working with cultural and corporate partners. She was recently a project manager with SALT & PEPPER Events in Dubai. Prior to obtaining an international MBA, Heather was the programming and business affairs manager at Women in Film and Television – Toronto (WIFT-T).

We couldn’t resist taking this opportunity to ask Heather a few ‘getting to know you’ questions. (Surprise, surprise: they’re mostly about reading.)

What’s your favourite book of all time?

Anne Brontë

My first memorable read, that fed my obsession with Victorian literature for years, was The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Brontë, ‘the lesser known sister.’ As a middle child and a visual artist, I related to the voice and the rebellious nature of the protagonist.

My favourite book read in the last ten years would have to be Another Road Side Attraction by Tom Robbins. I can’t help but feel the love for magic realism in all its art forms.

What was your last great read?

My last great read was making my way through Great Expectations. The end made the journey so meaningful. Also, the book itself was an antique, which somehow helped to transport me back in time.

What’s next on your reading list?

Born Weird by Andrew Kaufman is next on my list. My dad got his hands on this book first, and could not stop raving about the humour and the  fantastical journey of its characters!

Where is your favourite place to read?

My most cherished reading moments have been on park benches either in High Park or under the “few” trees by the water at the Harbourfront Centre.

During the winter, I would have to say, curled up on my couch with peppermint tea.

What aspect of The Word On The Street Festival are you most excited about?

I’m thrilled to have the chance to indulge in this amount of Canadian literature. The wonderful part of having programming as an integral part of your job is the impetus to stay current and keep your creative juices flowing. I’ve always loved using my business skills to support the creative industries, and I’m glad to now be part of the literary community.

Thanks Heather, and welcome to the team!

Writer’s Words: Vivek Shraya

This week’s guest post comes from Vivek Shraya, a Toronto-based multimedia artist, working in the mediums of music, performance, literature and film. Vivek particpated in a panel discussion called  “Looking at Lyrics: The Art of Songwriting” on The This Is Not The Shakespeare Stage.

This past fall, I was thrilled to be invited to participate in Word On The Street for the second time. Two years prior, I read from my first book, God Loves Hair, which had been out for only a few months. As I walked to the This Is Not The Shakespeare Stage, I reminisced about that experience, and about how much my life has changed since I shared my stories.

One of the biggest changes has been that music, which has always been my primary passion, is not at the forefront of  my creative practice as much. After writing songs and making records for over a decade, I have been enjoying exploring other expressive outlets, expanding my artistic identity. So it was a surprising and exciting switch to be speaking on a songwriters panel, something I had not done since 2002, and at a literary festival no less!

I am an ardent fan of process and have learned so much by listening to other artists discuss how they create, how they transform an idea into an external piece of work. I felt honoured to be on a panel with local artists Casey Mecija and Gentleman Reg, whose careers and talents I have admired and been inspired by, and was eager to hear what they had to say. I was also excited to be introduced to Derek Monson, another musician on the panel.

Our discussion confirmed that, like most art forms, there is no strict formula for songwriting. Some of us write lyrics first, some of us chase melodies first, and some of us do both in unison. Some of us write on guitar or keyboard and some of us work a cappella. Some of us are trained musicians and some of us are not. Some of us are inspired by the simplicity of pop structure, and some of us are inspired by abstract sounds and images. Some of us believe that our best songs are ones that simply manifested in mere minutes, and some of us are proudest of the songs we agonized over for months, perfecting the lyrics.

As someone that spends a lot of time thinking about the songwriting process, or more specifically about what it takes to write a great, timeless song, it was comforting to revel in our different methods. I was reminded that the key to a great song is being open to the inspiration, whatever it might be, and having the courage to follow it down any road it takes.

I only wish Casey had performed so that everyone who attended could have heard her one-in-a-million-voice.

-Vivek Shraya

2013 ahoy!

Can you believe it’s February already?  It shocks me to say this, but there are a mere 228 days left until this year’s festival!

Here are some key dates to keep in mind as we move through the year:

 

• January: Exhibitor Registrations open. Now is your time to become a part of Canada’s largest outdoor bookstore. For more information, pre-register online. Our Early Bird rates close on February 28th, so now’s a great time to reserve your space! If you are a visitor, keep an eye on the Marketplace section of our website. It will constantly be updated throughout the year with 2013′s exhibitors. Get a head start and pre-plan your day of shopping and discovering great new reads.

• January: Advertising opens. Advertising space is available in our Official Festival Program and KidStreet Festival Guide. Our programs are the #1 tool used by festival visitors to learn about and get around the festival! Here’s your chance to put your name in their hands. For more information email me (Cailin).

• March/April: Author submission period begins. The Word On The Street welcomes publishers and authors to submit their books (published between Oct. 2012 – Oct. 2013) to be considered for one of our programming venues. Keep an eye on our website for more info about the Author Submission process.

• June: Volunteer intake begins. The festival offers a variety of work experience for volunteers who want to help us make this year’s festival a success. From pre-festival administrative tasks, to author liaison positions, to on-site customer service positions, there is plenty of work to be done. Volunteers also get lots of fun perks along the way! Pre-register to be a volunteer here

• July: The programming line-up is finalized! Check our website for an updated list of authors appearing at this year’s The Word On The Street

• August 30: Exhibitor Registration closes.

• Sept. 22: Festival Day! 11am-6pm. It’s going to be an amazing day!

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