“Join us for a conversation with Marina Alefosio, an Aotearoa-born Samoan spoken-word poet whose work bridges creative expression and community empowerment.  

Alefosio hails from the villages of Mulifanua, Leauva’a, Faleasiu, and Falefa in Samoa, and works across the Pacific at the intersection of arts, culture, and wellbeing.

Her practice spans spoken word, hip-hop, theatre, songwriting, and mentorship, centring Pasifika and Indigenous voices while exploring themes of identity, justice, and collective healing. Her creative journey began on local and international stages, including the Nuyorican Poets Café in New York (2012) and TEDx Auckland (2013). She has since performed at significant cultural events such as the Dawn Raids Apology Ceremony in Auckland (2021) and the Toronto Writers Festival (2021).

Marina’s contributions have been recognized through numerous poetry anthologies, residencies, and fellowships, including the Banff Centre (2019 and 2024), the Tautai Pacific Arts Trust Fale-ship Residency (2021), the Rhodes Poetry Retreat (2023), and the Creative New Zealand Creative Fellowship Fund (2024), which supported the publication of her debut book to siva inside a circle. Drawing on these experiences, she co-designed a spoken-word residency in Mulifanua, Samoa, with her father and tulafale, Savaiinaea Palenapa Alefosio, creating space for Oceania writers across disciplines. 

Facilitated by Janine Windolph, Director, Indigenous Arts at Banff Centre, the session includes a presentation by Alefosio, followed by a discussion and a Q&A. This conversation will be live-streamed and recorded, with the recording shared following the event. Sessions may include sharing experiences and asking difficult questions.”

Hosted by the Banff Centre at the Max Bell Auditorium.

Regular weekly social and co-working meetups of the Banff Writers Group take place on Sundays, from 2-4pm, at the Happy Camper Café & Bar (545 Banff Ave). Our format is: half an hour of social time, followed by an hour of quiet co-working, then another half an hour at the end for wrap up. All experience levels and projects welcome, whether you're working on a book, blog, paper, personal journal, script, or anything else, so long as it is “written.”

We’re not a critique or reading group, so there’s no need to bring anything to share with other members.

Regular weekly social and co-working meetups of the Banff Writers Group take place on Sundays, from 2-4pm, at the Happy Camper Café & Bar (545 Banff Ave). Our format is: half an hour of social time, followed by an hour of quiet co-working, then another half an hour at the end for wrap up. All experience levels and projects welcome, whether you're working on a book, blog, paper, personal journal, script, or anything else, so long as it is “written.”

We’re not a critique or reading group, so there’s no need to bring anything to share with other members.

Regular weekly social and co-working meetups of the Banff Writers Group take place on Sundays, from 2-4pm, at the Happy Camper Café & Bar (545 Banff Ave). Our format is: half an hour of social time, followed by an hour of quiet co-working, then another half an hour at the end for wrap up. All experience levels and projects welcome, whether you're working on a book, blog, paper, personal journal, script, or anything else, so long as it is “written.”

We’re not a critique or reading group, so there’s no need to bring anything to share with other members.

Regular weekly social and co-working meetups of the Banff Writers Group take place on Sundays, from 2-4pm, at the Happy Camper Café & Bar (545 Banff Ave). Our format is: half an hour of social time, followed by an hour of quiet co-working, then another half an hour at the end for wrap up. All experience levels and projects welcome, whether you're working on a book, blog, paper, personal journal, script, or anything else, so long as it is “written.”

We’re not a critique or reading group, so there’s no need to bring anything to share with other members.

“Literary Cabaret concludes with an evening of new writing from the Late Spring Writing Residency at Banff Centre.

The program features original work by writers-in-residence in fiction, nonfiction, prose, and hybrid forms. Artist, poet, and translator Sawako Nakayasu, author of Pink Waves, a finalist for the PEN/Voelcker Award for Poetry, will host the evening and close the program with a reading from her own work.

Enjoy a drink from the bar, browse a curated selection of books at Pages Books, and immerse yourself in the vibrant literary atmosphere. Doors open at 6:15 p.m., readings begin at 7:00 p.m., and you’re invited to stay and mingle with artists and faculty until 9:00 p.m.”

Hosted by the Banff Centre at CLVB ’33.

“Literary Cabaret continues with an evening of new writing from the Late Spring Writing Residency at Banff Centre.

The evening features original work by writers-in-residence in fiction, nonfiction, prose, and hybrid forms. Poet, translator, and novelist Philip Terry, author of tapestry, shortlisted for the Goldsmiths Prize, will host and close the program with a reading from his own work.

Enjoy a drink from the bar, browse a curated selection of books at Pages Books, and immerse yourself in the vibrant literary atmosphere. Doors open at 6:15 p.m., readings begin at 7:00 p.m., and you’re invited to stay and mingle with artists and faculty until 9:00 p.m.”

Hosted by the Banff Centre at CLVB ’33.

Regular weekly social and co-working meetups of the Banff Writers Group take place on Sundays, from 2-4pm, at the Happy Camper Café & Bar (545 Banff Ave). Our format is: half an hour of social time, followed by an hour of quiet co-working, then another half an hour at the end for wrap up. All experience levels and projects welcome, whether you're working on a book, blog, paper, personal journal, script, or anything else, so long as it is “written.”

We’re not a critique or reading group, so there’s no need to bring anything to share with other members.

“Celebrate new writing at Literary Cabaret, featuring writers-in-residence from the Late Spring Writing Residency at Banff Centre.

This showcase features original work by writers-in-residence, with emerging and established writers sharing fiction, nonfiction, prose, and hybrid forms. Canadian author and creative writing teacher Jessica Westhead, whose fiction has been shortlisted for the CBC Literary Awards and whose story collection And Also Sharkswas a finalist for the Danuta Gleed Literary Award, will host the evening and share a reading from her own work.

Enjoy a drink from the bar, browse a curated selection of books at Pages Books, and immerse yourself in the vibrant literary atmosphere. Doors open at 6:15 p.m., readings begin at 7:00 p.m., and you’re invited to stay and mingle with artists and faculty until 9:00 p.m.”

Hosted by the Banff Centre at CLVB ’33.

Regular weekly social and co-working meetups of the Banff Writers Group take place on Sundays, from 2-4pm, at the Happy Camper Café & Bar (545 Banff Ave). Our format is: half an hour of social time, followed by an hour of quiet co-working, then another half an hour at the end for wrap up. All experience levels and projects welcome, whether you're working on a book, blog, paper, personal journal, script, or anything else, so long as it is “written.”

We’re not a critique or reading group, so there’s no need to bring anything to share with other members.

Regular weekly social and co-working meetups of the Banff Writers Group take place on Sundays, from 2-4pm, at the Happy Camper Café & Bar (545 Banff Ave). Our format is: half an hour of social time, followed by an hour of quiet co-working, then another half an hour at the end for wrap up. All experience levels and projects welcome, whether you're working on a book, blog, paper, personal journal, script, or anything else, so long as it is “written.”

We’re not a critique or reading group, so there’s no need to bring anything to share with other members.

Regular weekly social and co-working meetups of the Banff Writers Group take place on Sundays, from 2-4pm, at the Happy Camper Café & Bar (545 Banff Ave). Our format is: half an hour of social time, followed by an hour of quiet co-working, then another half an hour at the end for wrap up. All experience levels and projects welcome, whether you're working on a book, blog, paper, personal journal, script, or anything else, so long as it is “written.”

We’re not a critique or reading group, so there’s no need to bring anything to share with other members.

“The Spring Writers Literary Cabarets conclude with Chapter 3.

This final evening features another distinct group of writers-in-residence presenting original work across genres, marking the closing gathering of the Spring Writing Residency at Banff Centre.

The evening is hosted by Haisla/Heiltsuk author Eden Robinson, Banff Centre alumna and returning faculty member. Her story collection Traplines won the Winifred Holtby Memorial Prize, and her novel Monkey Beach was shortlisted for the Giller Prize and the Governor General’s Literary Award for Fiction. She will guide the evening and close with a reading from her own work.

Settle in at CLVB ’33 for an evening of new writing and conversation.

Doors open at 6:15 p.m., with readings beginning at 7:00 p.m. Informal mingling continues until 9:30 p.m.”

Hosted by the Banff Centre at CLVB ’33.

“In this talk, award-winning author and playwright Drew Hayden Taylor reflects on how a young boy from Curve Lake First Nation came to share Indigenous stories with audiences around the world.

Drawing on experiences across nearly two dozen countries, Taylor explores how humour functions within Indigenous storytelling as a tool for connection, insight, and perspective. He considers the changing landscape of First Nations literature and how humour can create space for dialogue, challenge expectations, and offer new ways to engage with contemporary Indigenous life and creativity.

Facilitated by Janine Windolph, Director of Indigenous Arts at Banff Centre, the session includes a presentation by Taylor, followed by a discussion and a Q&A. This conversation will be live-streamed and recorded, with the recording shared following the event. Sessions may include sharing experiences and asking difficult questions.

About the Decolonizing the Narrative Conversation Series

The Decolonizing the Narrative Conversation Series is a bi-monthly conversation session inviting leading Indigenous Art creators to discuss their practices and processes. The series engages an Indigenous lens across various art forms, including Literary Arts, Film and Media Arts, Digital Media, Visual Arts, and Performing Arts such as Theatre, Dance, and Music. These sessions offer a space to explore and deepen your understanding of how Indigenous artists use their disciplines as tools to decolonize artistic processes and creation.”

Hosted by the Banff Centre in the Max Bell Auditorium

“The Spring Writers Literary Cabaret continues with Chapter 2.

This evening brings together a new group of writers-in-residence sharing original work across genres. Each chapter offers a different program, reflecting the range of voices participating in the Spring Writing Residency at Banff Centre.

Hosted by poet Nicole Sealey, author of The Ferguson Report: An Erasure, winner of the 2024 OCM Bocas Prize for Poetry, from which an excerpt was awarded the Forward Prize for Best Poem.  She is also the author of Ordinary Beast, a finalist for the Hurston/Wright Legacy Award, and The Animal After Whom Other Animals Are Named, winner of the Drinking Gourd Chapbook Prize. She will guide the evening and conclude the program with a featured reading.

Enjoy a drink from the bar and the warm, intimate setting of CLVB ’33.

Doors open at 6:15 p.m., with readings beginning at 7:00 p.m. Stay afterward for an informal conversation with writers and faculty until 9:30 p.m.”

Hosted by the Banff Centre at CLVB ’33.

Regular weekly social and co-working meetups of the Banff Writers Group take place on Sundays, from 2-4pm, at the Happy Camper Café & Bar (545 Banff Ave). Our format is: half an hour of social time, followed by an hour of quiet co-working, then another half an hour at the end for wrap up. All experience levels and projects welcome, whether you're working on a book, blog, paper, personal journal, script, or anything else, so long as it is “written.”

We’re not a critique or reading group, so there’s no need to bring anything to share with other members.

“A new season of voices opens at Literary Cabaret.

Part of the Spring Writing Residency at Banff Centre, Chapter 1 features original work from this season’s writers-in-residence across genres, including poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and hybrid forms. Each chapter in the series presents a distinct lineup, offering a window into the breadth of practices gathered this spring.

The evening is hosted by poet and critic Vidyan Ravinthiran, born in Leeds to Sri Lankan Tamil parents. His debut collection Grun-tu-molani was shortlisted for the Forward Prize for Best First Collection, and The Million-petalled Flower of Being Herewas shortlisted for the T.S. Eliot Prize. He will guide the program and close the evening with a reading from his own work.

Settle in with a drink from the bar, browse a curated selection of books from Pages, and experience the creative atmosphere of CLVB ’33.

Doors open at 6:15 p.m., with readings beginning at 7:00 p.m. Informal mingling continues until 9:30 p.m.”

Hosted by the Banff Centre at CLVB ’33.

Regular weekly social and co-working meetups of the Banff Writers Group take place on Sundays, from 2-4pm, at the Happy Camper Café & Bar (545 Banff Ave). Our format is: half an hour of social time, followed by an hour of quiet co-working, then another half an hour at the end for wrap up. All experience levels and projects welcome, whether you're working on a book, blog, paper, personal journal, script, or anything else, so long as it is “written.”

We’re not a critique or reading group, so there’s no need to bring anything to share with other members.

Regular weekly social and co-working meetups of the Banff Writers Group take place on Sundays, from 2-4pm, at the Happy Camper Café & Bar (545 Banff Ave). Our format is: half an hour of social time, followed by an hour of quiet co-working, then another half an hour at the end for wrap up. All experience levels and projects welcome, whether you're working on a book, blog, paper, personal journal, script, or anything else, so long as it is “written.”

We’re not a critique or reading group, so there’s no need to bring anything to share with other members.

Regular weekly social and co-working meetups of the Banff Writers Group take place on Sundays, from 2-4pm, at the Happy Camper Café & Bar (545 Banff Ave). Our format is: half an hour of social time, followed by an hour of quiet co-working, then another half an hour at the end for wrap up. All experience levels and projects welcome, whether you're working on a book, blog, paper, personal journal, script, or anything else, so long as it is “written.”

We’re not a critique or reading group, so there’s no need to bring anything to share with other members.

Regular weekly social and co-working meetups of the Banff Writers Group take place on Sundays, from 2-4pm, at the Happy Camper Café & Bar (545 Banff Ave). Our format is: half an hour of social time, followed by an hour of quiet co-working, then another half an hour at the end for wrap up. All experience levels and projects welcome, whether you're working on a book, blog, paper, personal journal, script, or anything else, so long as it is “written.”

We’re not a critique or reading group, so there’s no need to bring anything to share with other members.

Regular weekly social and co-working meetups of the Banff Writers Group take place on Sundays, from 2-4pm, at the Happy Camper Café & Bar (545 Banff Ave). Our format is: half an hour of social time, followed by an hour of quiet co-working, then another half an hour at the end for wrap up. All experience levels and projects welcome, whether you're working on a book, blog, paper, personal journal, script, or anything else, so long as it is “written.”

We’re not a critique or reading group, so there’s no need to bring anything to share with other members.

Regular weekly social and co-working meetups of the Banff Writers Group take place on Sundays, from 2-4pm, at the Happy Camper Café & Bar (545 Banff Ave). Our format is: half an hour of social time, followed by an hour of quiet co-working, then another half an hour at the end for wrap up. All experience levels and projects welcome, whether you're working on a book, blog, paper, personal journal, script, or anything else, so long as it is “written.”

We’re not a critique or reading group, so there’s no need to bring anything to share with other members.

Regular weekly social and co-working meetups of the Banff Writers Group take place on Sundays, from 2-4pm, at the Happy Camper Café & Bar (545 Banff Ave). Our format is: half an hour of social time, followed by an hour of quiet co-working, then another half an hour at the end for wrap up. All experience levels and projects welcome, whether you're working on a book, blog, paper, personal journal, script, or anything else, so long as it is “written.”

We’re not a critique or reading group, so there’s no need to bring anything to share with other members.

Regular weekly social and co-working meetups of the Banff Writers Group take place on Sundays, from 2-4pm, at the Happy Camper Café & Bar (545 Banff Ave). Our format is: half an hour of social time, followed by an hour of quiet co-working, then another half an hour at the end for wrap up. All experience levels and projects welcome, whether you're working on a book, blog, paper, personal journal, script, or anything else, so long as it is “written.”

We’re not a critique or reading group, so there’s no need to bring anything to share with other members.

“Celebrate the final evening of the Deep Winter Writers Literary Cabaret series, part of the Deep Winter Writers Residency at Banff Centre. Chapter 3 features compelling original readings by writers-in-residence, marking the culmination of the residency.

The evening is hosted by faculty mentor Divya Victor, author of CURB, winner of the PEN America Open Book Award and the Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award. Victor will also share a reading from their own work.

Grab a drink from the bar, browse a curated selection of books from Pages Books, and take in the lively, welcoming atmosphere of CLVB’33. Doors open at 6:15 p.m., with readings beginning at 7:00 p.m. Stay afterward to mingle with writers and faculty until 9:30 p.m.”

Hosted by the Banff Centre at CLVB ’33.

“Step into the second chapter of the Deep Winter Writers Literary Cabaret series, part of the Deep Winter Writers Residency at Banff Centre. This evening features a dynamic lineup of original readings by writers-in-residence, reflecting the range of voices and forms emerging from the residency.

The evening is hosted by faculty mentor Holly Pester, a poet and writer whose recent publications include Comic Timing and The Lodgers. Pester will also share a special reading from their own work.

Enjoy a drink from the bar, browse a curated selection of books from Pages Books, and immerse yourself in an evening of creativity and conversation at CLVB’33. Doors open at 6:15 p.m., with readings beginning at 7:00 p.m. Stay after to mingle with writers and faculty until 9:30 p.m.”

Hosted by the Banff Centre at CLVB ’33.

Regular weekly social and co-working meetups of the Banff Writers Group take place on Sundays, from 2-4pm, at the Happy Camper Café & Bar (545 Banff Ave). Our format is: half an hour of social time, followed by an hour of quiet co-working, then another half an hour at the end for wrap up. All experience levels and projects welcome, whether you're working on a book, blog, paper, personal journal, script, or anything else, so long as it is “written.”

We’re not a critique or reading group, so there’s no need to bring anything to share with other members.

“Step into an evening of literary exploration at Literary Cabaret, part of the Deep Winter Writers Residency at Banff Centre. This opening chapter features readings of original works by emerging and established writers working across genres.

Faculty mentor Nasser Hussain, author of SKY WRI TEI NGS and love language, will host the evening and share from their acclaimed work.

Enjoy a drink from the bar, browse a curated selection of books from Pages Books, and settle into the warm, creative atmosphere of CLVB’33. Doors open at 6:15 p.m., with readings beginning at 7:00 p.m. Stay after to mingle with writers and faculty until 9:30 p.m.”

Hosted by the Banff Centre at CLVB ’33.

Regular weekly social and co-working meetups of the Banff Writers Group take place on Sundays, from 2-4pm, at the Happy Camper Café & Bar (545 Banff Ave). Our format is: half an hour of social time, followed by an hour of quiet co-working, then another half an hour at the end for wrap up. All experience levels and projects welcome, whether you're working on a book, blog, paper, personal journal, script, or anything else, so long as it is “written.”

We’re not a critique or reading group, so there’s no need to bring anything to share with other members.