Poets Laureate

2021/2022 Ottawa Poets Laureate

Albert Dumont

Anglophone Poet Laureate

Gilles Latour

Francophone Poet Laureate

VERSe Ottawa, in conjunction with the City of Ottawa, is pleased to announce the City’s two new poets laureate. Albert Dumont is taking on the role of English-language laureate, while Gilles Latour is serving as French-language laureate. Both Dumont and Latour have been active in the Ottawa poetry community, appearing at VERSeFest, Ottawa’s international poetry festival, and at many other venues.

The City of Ottawa’s Poet Laureate program is designed to promote the literary arts in Ottawa and to advance Ottawa’s unique voice in the world. Poets laureate serve a two-year term beginning in April, National Poetry Month. City Council will be hosting a ceremony recognizing the new laureates on April 28th.

ABOUT THE CITY OF OTTAWA’S POET LAUREATE PROGRAM

In 2017, City Council approved funding for the renewal of a Poet Laureate Program for the City of Ottawa. There are two current Ottawa poet laureates – one English, one French – each appointed to serve a two year term. Their mandate is to act as Ottawa’s artistic ambassador, to promote the literary arts, and to advance Ottawa’s unique voice in the world.

Each Poet Laureate receives an annual honorarium of $5,000, as well as another $5,000 to fund various poetry-related programs and events.

The official announcement of Ottawa’s poets laureate occurs in March at VERSeFest, Ottawa’s International Festival of Poetry.

HISTORY OF OTTAWA’S POET LAUREATE PROGRAM

Before the present incarnation of a bilingual Poet laureate program, Ottawa had an unilingual poet laureate program between 1982 and 1990. The city’s last poet laureate under this program was Patrick White, who succeeded Cyril Dabydeen. The city’s first poet laureate was Catherine Ahearn. After an almost 30-year hiatus, City Council in consultation with VERSe Ottawa resurrected and augmented the Poet Laureate program.

Previous Poets Laureate

2019/2020

2017/2018