The Capilano Review and Western Front are pleased to present Dear Friends &, a new monthly reading series showcasing the work of local and touring Canadian authors. Commencing in May 2023 and taking place on the first Thursday evening of every month, readings will be hosted in Western Front’s historic Grand Luxe Hall and available to virtual audiences by livestream. Please mark your calendars for the following reading dates in 2023: May 4, June 1, July 6, September 7, October 5, and November 2.

The series’ name draws inspiration from the salutations and sign-offs used by Roy Kiyooka in his Transcanada Letters (Talonbooks, 1975), a collection which details the comings and goings of his literary sociality across Canada, the network of people and relations that enfold his writing, and the longings of his “Heart’s Geography” to be near the ones he loved. Kiyooka was an important figure for both Western Front and The Capilano Review, and this series invites his spirit of kinship, connection, and conviviality into the reading space.

In addition to the many feature readers we have planned for the coming months, we’re also honoured to welcome Vancouver-based Christian Vistan as our resident artist for the series. Vistan will be inhabiting the peripheral spaces of Dear Friends & through a series of conceptual graphics, backgrounds, interventions, and ephemera reflecting on themes of friendship and correspondence through art.

We look forward to sharing details about our inaugural reading event on Thursday, May 4, 2023 with Billy-Ray Belcourt, Brandi Bird, and Beni Xiao with you very soon.

The series is curated by Deanna Fong and Jacquelyn Zong-Li Ross with assistance from Kiel Torres.

Presented in partnership with Western Front and with the support of the Kootenay School of Writing.