Writer in Residence
Toronto Public Library (TPL)'s Writer in Residence program supports writers and encourages exchanges between the author and the community. The Writer in Residence creates and delivers programs, evaluates submitted manuscripts, meets with writers from the general public and works on their own project(s).
Writers who have held residencies at the library include Gail Bowen, Austin Clarke, Rabindranath Maharaj and Robert J. Sawyer. The most recent Writers in Residence have been Alissa York, David S. Young, Kate Cayley, Kim Echlin, Vikki VanSickle, Howard Shrier, Dan Werb, Thea Lim, Jamie Michaels, Sarah Yi-Mei Tsiang, Farah Heron, André Alexis and Nino Ricci.
Upcoming Programs
Upcoming Events
Andrea Thompson | Spring 2026 Writer in Residence – Spoken Word Poetry
Location: Toronto Reference Library
Andrea Thompson is a writer, editor, educator and spoken word artist who has been publishing and performing her work for over twenty-five years. A member of Canada’s first national slam poetry team, Thompson is a graduate of the University of Guelph’s MFA Creative Writing program, and the author of numerous critical essays on spoken word orature. In 2005 Thompson’s spoken word album, One, was nominated for a Canadian Urban Music Award. In 2019, her album, Soulorations, earned her a League of Canadian Poets’ Golden Beret Award. Thompson is the recipient of the 2021 Pavlick Poetry Prize and her collection, A Selected History of Soul Speak was shortlisted for the Robert Kroetsch Award for Innovative poetry, and longlisted for the Pat Lowther and Raymond Souster awards. In 2023, Thompson designed and delivered the first spoken word course to be offered at the University of Toronto, through the department of English & Drama in Mississauga, where she currently serves as sessional lecturer. Her most recent work is The Good Word, a spoken word album that reflects on the intersection of Black history and faith, and Complex, a multimedia poetic exploration of mental health. Find samples of her work at: www.andreathompson.ca
One-on-One Consultations
Toronto Public Library’s Writer in Residence offers spoken word poets the opportunity to receive in-person performance coaching and writing feedback. Meetings with the Writer in Residence are by appointment and will take place from April 13 - 24. Only selected submissions will be contacted for a review. Writers with intermediate to advanced skills will be prioritized for consultations.
Submission Requirements
Please submit a 7-10 minute video recording of the spoken word pieces you’d like feedback on as well as the corresponding text. Preferred video formats are MP4s or Youtube links. Submissions should also include a cover page with your name, email, telephone number, library card number and brief bio (including any publication/performance history and your expectations for the consultation, i.e. what you would like to improve or explore). Submitters must be aged 17 or older.
Submissions will be accepted from Tuesday, February 17 to Tuesday, March 17, 2026.
Email your submission to trllanglit@tpl.ca
Or mail or bring your submission to:
Writer in Residence – Toronto Reference Library
Languages & Literature Department (4th Floor)
789 Yonge Street, Toronto, ON
For more information, please call 416-393-7085.
Interested in exploring training, technology and space at the library to create audio or video recordings of your Spoken Word Poetry? Recording equipment, green screen studio space, editing software and classes are available for free at Digital Innovation Hubs at TPL Branches. More information on our website here, opens a new window.
Apply to be Writer in Residence
Toronto Public Library invites applications from Canadian writers with extensive writing and literary experience to participate in our paid Writer in Residence program.
Applications are not being accepted at this time. Please stay tuned for the next opportunity to apply.