The Leacock Museum in Orillia wants you to know that the 9th annual K. Valerie Memorial Poetry Celebration contest is open for entries. Thee Leacock Museum is a National Historic Site dedicated to honouring the memory and legacy of Canadian literary humorist, Stephen Leacock. The museum hosts a variety of events and programs, all with a literary focus.

The contest is open to poets of all ages and experience levels across Ontario in three categories: Elementary, Intermediate, and Adult, with cash prizes awarded to the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners in each category. All relevant information is included in the image above. It is also available on their website at leacockmuseum.com.

Sharpen those pencils or fire up the tablet.  This is your chance to express yourself and maybe win a prize.

​Writer, artist, and musician Kayt (Lackie) Burgess (she/they) was born in Manitouwadge, Ontario and grew up in Elliot Lake. She studied classical music at the University of Western Ontario, publishing at Humber College, and creative writing at the University of Auckland and Bath Spa University.

Kayt’s first novel Heidegger Stairwell won the infamous 3 Day Novel Contest and was published by 3 Day Books and Arsenal Pulp Press in September 2012. It was shortlisted for the 2013 ReLit Award for Fiction and adapted as a feature length film, premiering March 2024 in London, UK.  Her second novel Connection at Newcombe was published in May 2021 by Latitude 46 Publishing.

​Kayt produces short stories, poems, songs, digital storytelling, stage plays and was a recurring staff writer on the hit fitness game Zombies, Run! She received a PhD in Digital Creative Writing (multimodal storytelling) from Bath Spa University.

The Elliot Lake resident has received grants from the Ontario Arts Council this year to work on a new novel set in Elliot Lake.  She’ll spend part of June in Haliburton at a dream writer's residency on Hall's Island, an uninhabited island, working on this new book. After that, Kayt will fly to Winnipeg as part of the (Art)Song Lab initiative to join Edmonton composer Aaron Addorisio for the world premiere of their new song. 

In addition to writing, Kayt runs a private music studio in northern Ontario where she teaches singing, piano, instruments and speech arts & drama. She is an Estill-trained voice teacher and coach who specializes in adult singers, teaching a variety of genres, in both popular and classical idioms. Over the summer, she will be offering workshops in songwriting and opening new coaching spots for singers. 

Next time you run into Kayt at an event or the grocery store, say congratulations.  She is proof that residents of Elliot Lake can live a creative life without leaving home for good.

Friday, May 31 and June 1, 2024 are the last performance of the two one-act plays produced by ELATE. Elliot Lake's own amateur dramatics club has been delivering laughs and drama for years.  2024 is no exception.

Tickets are not on sale at the door.  Let me repeat that....tickets cannot be bought at the door.  So don't wait.  Get your's in advance so you will not be disappointed. Tickets are a very reasonably priced $20 per seat.

ELATE has also arranged for their audience to enjoy an entr'acte.  The past two weekends, local singers performed.  What surprise is in store for you, eh?

For newcomers to Elliot Lake, the plays will be performed at Elliot Lake Secondary School aka ELSS.  In the drama room.  To enter that space, you have to go to the back of the school building.  Don't use the front or side door.  There is plenty of parking in the back lot too.

Turn your screens off and try some live entertainment for a change.  There is nothing like live theatre to make you feel as if you are walking a tightrope.  Crazy fun!

At the Ren Centre last night a small, but enthusiastic, group from the Elliot Lake Arts community attended the first planning meeting for the Cabin Fever Creative Expo.  The event will be held April 25 to 27, 2025 in various venues around town.
 
We heard that the deadline for submitting applications to participate must be in by June 25, 2024. "Not enough time," said a quilter.  Then we explained that one of the most important things ARIEL will be contributing is a search for grants and other source of funds.  Grant applications can't be written without program descriptions.  And...grant application deadlines are looming for a 2025 event. The pressure is on!

What must the submission contain?
An outline description of your programming that meets these criteria:

• Experiential
• Immersive
• Engaging
• Fun