Wendy "Motion" Brathwaite
Motion is a multi-faceted artist, spanning the worlds of music, literature, media, drama and arts education. A published poet, performer and award-winning spoken word artist, Motion is a burgeoning dramatic writer and arts consultant. With over a decade of work with artists, the industry, youth and communities, Motion continues to innovate diverse approaches to the development of arts and culture. Motion is one of Canada’s most prolific urban artists, manipulating words to their exponential power. Motion’s revolutions around words have generated for audiences a melodic flow that runs deep in its proverbial roots. She is the author of two published works of poetry, Motion in Poetry (2002) and 40 dayz (2008) and is to release a children's book entitled WORDZ. An emerging playwright, Motion’s words are invading the world of theatre, as she steps up her forte at the acclaimed Obsidian Theatre with her new play Aneemah's Spot.
Elisabeth de Mariaffi
Elisabeth de Mariaffi’s poetry and fiction appear regularly in Canadian magazines. Her chapbook, Letter on St. Valentine’s Day, was published in 2009 by The Emergency Response Unit; in 2007, she won the Lina Chartrand Award for Poetry from CV2. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Guelph-Humber and she is one-half of the brand-spanking-new Toronto Poetry Vendors, a small press set to sell poetry broadsides from vending machines. Elisabeth is currently fine-tuning a poetry manuscript and working away at a book of short stories. This spring she is slated to produce a poem-film collaboration with the Liaison of Independent Filmmakers of Toronto (LIFT).
Ibi Kaslik
Ibi Kaslik is an internationally published novelist, freelance writer and teacher. Her most recent novel, The Angel Riots, is a rock n’ roll comic-tragedy and was nominated for Ontario’s Trillium award in 2009. Her first novel, Skinny, was a New York Times Bestseller and has been published in numerous countries. A native of Toronto, Ibi teaches creative writing at The University of Toronto’s School of Continuing Studies and works as an art educator for youth.
Nic Labriola
Nic Labriola is a poet, actor, playwright and teacher. He holds a Hons B.A. in English from the University of Toronto, and a B. Ed from Trent University. His first collection of poetry, Naming the Mannequins was published in 2009 by Insomniac Press. He lives in Toronto.
Joseph Maviglia
Toronto singer-songwriter Joseph Maviglia released his new CD of original songs, Angel in the Rain, in November 2010. Joseph’s previous recording of roots and rock music, Memory to Steel, (Steelrail Records), was released in the fall of 1994 to critical acclaim on the heels of his 1992 song ‘Father, It’s Time’, which appeared on the Juno-Award winning compilation The Gathering (Attic Records). In the interim Joseph produced three books of poetry and criticism , including Winter Jazz (Quarry Press), freakin’ palomino blue (Mosaic Press) and Joseph Maviglia Songbook (Lyrical Myrical Press). His libretto, Binoculars was featured at The Young Theatre for the Performing Arts in the spring of 2006. That same year he was commissioned by CBC’s The Sunday Edition year to write a commemorative poem, "Jazz Dharma" for the 50th anniversary of the publication of the seminal beat poem Howl by Allen Ginsberg.
Marc Ngui
Marc Ngui (b. 1972) developed a love for making picture books at the age of 7. He's been involved in writing and drawing ever since. His work ranges from DIY hand made zines to articles for international design magazine (Domus) and comic strips for newspapers (The Toronto Star). He has written and illustrated two graphic novels, Enter Avariz (2003) and The unexpurgated tale of Lordie Jones (2005), both published by Conundrum Press, and his currently working on his latest, a 400 page gonzo fairytale entitled Olden County.
Jelani “J Wyze” Nias
J Wyze is the quintessential hype man & emcee. Once a key member of the Soul Controllers, he has a radio background that includes 10 years as the dynamic voice of the Trauma Unit (Flow 93.5 fm) as well as stints in community & internet radio. J Wyze also has an unrelenting dedication to the community, which has earned him numerous awards including the "Arts Starts Upcoming Community Artist Award" and Factor Demo Grant". Born to a jazz musician father who has toured North America, and Europe with greats like Toots and the Maytals, and a mother who still sings in an inspirational gospel choir, J-Wyze wanted to be an entertainer for as long as he could remember. After immigrating to Canada from Antigua via Bermuda in 1989 at the age of 12, J Wyze began performing at spoken word events in the mid 90s. He was winner of a Sears Drama Festival acting awards/scholarship, SLAM Poetry competition and is a published poet & writer.
Emma Roberts
Emma Roberts is a Toronto based writer and a graduate of the National Theatre School and the Canadian Film Centre. Her work has appeared in Playwrights Canada Press, Véhicule Press, M-Pty Magazine, Exile: The Literary Quarterly, NOW Magazine, HOUR Magazineand the Globe and Mail. She was a finalist in the 2009 Carl Sautter Memorial Television Outreach Programin Los Angeles and her work has been broadcast regularly on the CBC.
Jacob Scheier
A Toronto poet and journalist, Jacob Scheier’s debut poetry collection, More to Keep us Warm (ECW Press, 2007), won the 2008 Governor General’s Award. The book was also named amongst 2008’s “best in verse” by The Winnipeg Free Press and has received praise from Canadian Literature, Matrix and Prairie Fire. Jacob’s poems have appeared in several periodicals in North America, including Geist and Descant, as well as being aired on CBC radio and adapted for a modern dance performance at the Enwave Theatre in Toronto. His articles and editorials frequently appear in Toronto’s NOW Magazine, and in 2009 he co-won a New York Community Media Alliance award for best feature article in an independent publication.