Workshop: Performance Poetry with Lillian Allen

A leading Canadian poet and an international exponent of dub poetry, Lillian Allen was acclaimed a foremother of Canadian poetry by the League of Canadian Poets. She is a two-time Canadian Juno award winner for her albums of dub poetry, Revolutionary Tea Party and Conditions Critical. She is an arts activist and a cultural strategist who initiated and developed several key equity impacting arts programs. A mentor to the mentors and ‘Godmother of Everything’, Lillian is the recipient of many awards and citations including The Toronto Cultural Champions Award, The Margo Bindhardt Award for significantly impacting the arts in Toronto through both creative work and activism, the William P. Hubbard Award for Race Relations, and an Honourary Doctorate from Wilfred Laurier University for her contribution and impact on Canadian Letters. A long-time Professor of Creative Writing at OCAD University, Ms Allen spearheaded the establishment of an interdisciplinary, multi-media Creative Writing BFA program.

Lillian Allen’s newest publication Make the World New – The Poetry of Lillian Allen -selected by Ronald Cummings, Published by WLU Press 2021 has received enthusiastic critical acclaim. Her other publications include; Women Do this Every Day and Psychic Unrest, plus several books and recordings for children and young people. Allen continues to perform to large audiences worldwide.