What does it take to sustain a literary life?

The brand new Bold&Creative podcasts from Blue Metropolis offers up six refreshing perspectives from the English-language literary world in Quebec in 2024. We wanted to explore writing practices and career paths, changing experiences and new contexts. What does our literary world look like right now? How does one get started? How does one keep going?
To answer these questions, we invited Liz Howard (the Poet), Daniel Allen Cox (the Prose-Writer), Tawhida Tanya Evanson (the Performer), Dimitri Nasrallah (the Publisher*), Linda Morra (the Podcaster) and Curtis McRae (the Promoter) to go deep, in a series of twenty-minute conversations with host Rachel McCrum.
What emerged were rich, wide-ranging – and occasionally deliciously weird – discussions about literary life and practice.
That it takes a community to bring a book into the world. That after the writing is done, there is editing, publication, conversation, promotion, collaboration, education. That they all work tirelessly and creatively to find new ways to support and promote writers.
That they are passionate about building new relationships, supporting authenticity, talent, and access.
That there are constant challenges in the form of burn out, mental health, endless volunteering, and limited financial support.
That every one of them wears multiple hats, to allow them to not only continue their own work, but to open doors for others. That they are not just in this for their own creative advancement, but to ensure that literary culture survives and thrives. 
That it was a pleasure and a joy to speak with each of these bold and creative voices. We hope that you enjoy.

Exclusive podcasts offered by Metropolis bleu | Blue Metropolis.

Bold & Creative: Exploring Stories

What does it take to sustain a literary life?

The brand new Bold & Creative podcasts from Blue Metropolis offers up six refreshing perspectives from the English-language literary world in Quebec in 2024. We wanted to explore writing practices and career paths, changing experiences and new contexts. What does our literary world look like right now? How does one get started? How does one keep going? 
To answer these questions, we invited Liz Howard (the Poet), Daniel Allen Cox (the Prose-Writer), Tawhida Tanya Evanson (the Performer), Dimitri Nasrallah (the Publisher*), Linda Morra (the Podcaster) and Curtis McRae (the Promoter) to go deep, in a series of twenty-minute conversations with host Rachel McCrum.
What emerged were rich, wide-ranging – and occasionally deliciously weird – discussions about literary life and practice.
That it takes a community to bring a book into the world. That after the writing is done, there is editing, publication, conversation, promotion, collaboration, education. That they all work tirelessly and creatively to find new ways to support and promote writers.
That they are passionate about building new relationships, supporting authenticity, talent, and access.
That there are constant challenges in the form of burn out, mental health, endless volunteering, and limited financial support.
That every one of them wears multiple hats, to allow them to not only continue their own work, but to open doors for others. That they are not just in this for their own creative advancement, but to ensure that literary culture survives and thrives. 
That it was a pleasure and a joy to speak with each of these bold and creative voices. We hope that you enjoy.

*technically, Editor rather than Publisher, but that doesn’t begin with a P.
An exclusive podcast presented by Metropolis bleu | Blue Metropolis


BOLD & CREATIVE: Trailer

Welcome to the Bold & Creative series from Blue Metropolis!

Explore the English-language literary life of Quebec in 2024 through six unique perspectives. Discover the challenges and passions that drive these players on the literary scene. Their hard work and creativity are at the service of promoting writers and preserving literary culture. Immerse yourself in this dynamic world and be inspired by these bold, creative voices.

Today, join publisher Dimitri Nasrallah for a captivating twenty-minute conversation hosted by Rachel McCrum.

Thank you to our partner the Secrétariat aux relations avec les québécois d'expression anglaise.

 An exclusive podcast presented by Metropolis bleu | Blue Metropolis

BOLD & CREATIVE: Interview with Dimitri Nasrallah

Welcome to the Bold & Creative series from Blue Metropolis!

Explore the English-language literary life of Quebec in 2024 through six unique perspectives. Discover the challenges and passions that drive these players on the literary scene. Their hard work and creativity are at the service of promoting writers and preserving literary culture. Immerse yourself in this dynamic world and be inspired by these bold, creative voices.

Today, discover the unique perspectives of multidisciplinary performer Tawhida Tanya Evanson in a captivating twenty-minute conversation with Rachel McCrum.

Thank you to our partner the Secrétariat aux relations avec les q

BOLD & CREATIVE: Interview with Tawhida Tanya Evanson

Welcome to the Bold & Creative series from Blue Metropolis!

Explore the English-language literary life of Quebec in 2024 through six unique perspectives. Discover the challenges and passions that drive these players on the literary scene. Their hard work and creativity are at the service of promoting writers and preserving literary culture. Immerse yourself in this dynamic world and be inspired by these bold, creative voices.

Today, join promoter Curtis McRae for a captivating twenty-minute conversation hosted by Rachel McCrum.

BOLD & CREATIVE: Interview with Curtis McRae

Welcome to the Bold & Creative series from Blue Metropolis!

Explore the English-language literary life of Quebec in 2024 through six unique perspectives. Discover the challenges and passions that drive these players on the literary scene. Their hard work and creativity are at the service of promoting writers and preserving literary culture. Immerse yourself in this dynamic world and be inspired by these bold, creative voices.

Today, immerse yourself in a captivating twenty-minute conversation with Daniel Allen Cox, hosted by Rachel McCrum.

BOLD & CREATIVE: Interview with Daniel Allen Cox

Writer, editor, columnist, and professor in Indigenous Studies at the University of Manitoba, Niigaan Sinclair joined Bold & Creative: The Talks to contribute his voice to this gathering of changemakers. Recorded at the 2025 Blue Metropolis Festival, the series amplifies bold perspectives from across Canada.

This podcast was recorded live as part of the 2025 Blue Metropolis International Literary Festival, during the Bold & Creative: The Talks event.
Narration by Isabel Cout.
Sound mixing by Alaric Boyle Poirier.

BOLD & CREATIVE – THE TALKS: Niigaan Sinclair, Writer, Editor, Columnist & Professor, University of Manitoba

Créée en 1997, la Fondation Metropolis bleu est un organisme de charité qui a pour mission de réunir les gens de langues et de cultures diverses autour du plaisir de lire et d’écrire, favorisant ainsi une plus grande créativité et une meilleure compréhension interculturelle. Metropolis bleu présente annuellement un festival littéraire international multilingue et offre, tout au long de l’année, une gamme de programmes éducatifs et sociaux en classe et en ligne. 

Découvrir les projets balados de notre programmation, c'est ici.

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Blue Metropolis Foundation is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1997 that brings together people from different cultures to share the pleasure of reading and writing, and encourages creativity and intercultural understanding. Blue Metropolis produces an annual multilingual literary festival of international calibre and offers a wide range of educational and social programs year-round, both in classrooms and online. 

Discover the podcast projects of our programming here.

BOLD & CREATIVE – THE TALKS: Niigaan Sinclair, Writer, Editor, Columnist & Professor, University of Manitoba

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