The CBC reports that the city of Montreal is about to adorn its streets with some literary graffiti. Starting in September, the words of 10 Montreal writers will be painted on buildings, billboards and brick walls around town.

Lines from famous Montrealers such as Leonard Cohen, Mordecai Richler, Michel Tremblay and Monique Proulx will go up in places where the public can read them. The project, from Montreal's Blue Metropolis Foundation, is being called City of Words . . . "This mural project is an opportunity to create new visual landmarks in Montreal, to emphasize the city's status as a literary and cultural metropolis and to appeal to the community as a whole through literature," said Lucas Lhotsky, director of development and fundraising for Blue Metropolis, in an interview with CBC Radio.

Read the rest of the article at CBC Arts.

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anthrasula said:

It?s amazing how what was basically just an idea a few years ago has become a festival that welcomes 150 writers from all over the world. Now, tens of thousands of Montrealers can read the words of some of her best writers. That's really cool.

August 02, 2006

stevenl said:

Hey, I didn't realize Montreal was named as World Book Capital for 2005/06. That's pretty cool. Methinks Montreal will merit a visit when I get back home on vacation. I've heard good things about that town.

August 03, 2006

tsopher said:

I HEART Montreal... The first time my husband and I went to Montreal we drove. It took us about 10 hours from New York City to drive there, but then it took us another 4 to find out hotel. We found the city to be rather confusing and it seemed like everyone that we asked for directions had no idea about how to get anywhere because they were so used to taking public transportation! The second time we went, we flew and took a cab. We stayed near the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Old Montreal and loved waking up and taking a stroll to a nearby cafe for pastries and excellent coffee. The restaurants are superb. It's easy to understand how such a city provides a foundation for a book-writing, book-reading, and book-selling public. Montreal is an amazing city that will always hold a special place in my heart for many reasons. The people are wonderful, and the city is beautiful. If you are debating on whether or not to take the trip, do it, it is worth it!

August 03, 2006

dsendecki said:

The beginnings of the small press movement in Canada can be traced to Montreal, with the creation of the First Statement Press. According to archives Canada: John Sutherland and his fellow editors at First Statement purchased a platen press and printed two important little magazines, First Statement and the first volumes of Northern Review. Sutherland also published the first books by Irving Layton, Raymond Souster, Miriam Waddington, Kay Smith and Anne Wilkinson, all of which appeared under the collective title New Writers Series. Conundrum, Snare, Véhicule are just a few of the very cool small presses in town.

August 03, 2006

katstj said:

Speaking of Snare, they recently posted an award call for submissions here called the Robert Kroetsch Award for Innovative Poetry. Check it out.

August 09, 2006

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