Presented by the Istituto Italiano di cultura in collaboration with
the Department of Italian Studies and the Frank Iacobucci Centre for Italian-Canadian Studies
An Evening of Italian and Canadian Poetry
Celebrating the legacy of Corrado Paina.
Join us as we honor the legacy of Corrado Paina, a distinguished figure in the Italian-Canadian community and a key contributor to Canada’s cultural landscape.
With deep roots in both Italy and Canada, Corrado played a vital role in fostering cross-cultural connections and promoting Italy’s culture. His influence and dedication have left a lasting impact on Toronto’s cultural stage; this is a special opportunity to reflect on his original contributions to both Canada’s and Italy’s literary and artistic landscape.
With the participation of:
Allan Briesmaster
George Elliott Clark
Beatriz Hausner
Gianna Patriarca
Vincenzo Pietropaolo
Giovanna Riccio
The readings will be accompanied by a small exhibition of paintings, sculptures, handmade books and other artifacts.
Thursday, April 17, 2025 | 6:30PM EST
Istituto Italiano di Cultura Toronto
496 Huron Street
FREE EVENT | REGISTRATION REQUIRED
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER ON EVENTBRITE
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Allan Briesmaster is a poet, freelance editor and publisher who has been active on the Toronto-area literary scene for many years. After being a workshop leader and reading series organizer, he was a partner and editor in Quattro Books in 2006-2017. He currently operates his own small, independent press, Aeolus House, specializing in custom-designed, limited-edition books of poetry. The author of ten poetry collections, Allan has read his work, given talks, been on panels, and hosted literary events at venues from Victoria to St. John’s. A Life Member of The League of Canadian Poets, he lives in Thornhill, Ontario.
George Elliott Clark The 4th Poet Laureate of Toronto (2012-15) and the 7th Parliamentary/Canadian Poet Laureate (2016-17), George Elliott Clarke was born in Windsor, Nova Scotia, in 1960. An English prof at the University of Toronto, Clarke has taught at Duke, McGill, UBC, and Harvard. Laurels? Pierre Elliott Trudeau Fellows Prize, Governor-General’s Award for Poetry, National Magazine Gold Award for Poetry, Premiul Poesis (Romania), Dartmouth Book Award for Fiction, Eric Hoffer Book Award for Poetry (US). Basta!
Beatriz Hausner has published several poetry collections, including The Wardrobe Mistress, Sew Him Up, Enter the Raccoon, Beloved Revolutionary Sweetheart and She Who Lies Above, as well as many limited edition imprints. Her books have been published internationally and translated into several languages. Hausner edited issues of Open Letter, was Editor in chief of Ellipse magazine, is current poetry Editor of Exile Quarterly and Exile Editions and of Someone Editions. She was one of the four publishers of Quattro Books. Beatriz Hausner was President of the Literary Translators’ Association of Canada and Chair of the Public Lending Right Commission.
Gianna Patriarca is a multiple award-winning author of 13 books, poetry, fiction, children’s literature and essays. Her work is extensively anthologized, adapted for stage and CBC radio drama and featured in numerous documentaries. Her work is on the course list of universities in Canada, USA and Italy. She has read her work at Yale, Purdue, New York, New Jersey and many universities in Canada as well as the University of Bologna, Udine and Napoli Orientale. She is the first recipient of the Science and Cultural Award from the Italian Chamber of Commerce. She lives in Toronto.
Vincenzo Pietropaolo is a photographer, writer, and independent researcher who has published over a dozen books, often combining photography with his own original writing. He is respected for his humanistic work on subjects like migration, housing, disabilities, and labour, and his work is in the collections of the National Gallery of Canada and the Canadian Museum for Human Rights among others. His retrospective book, Toronto as Community), is a collection of photographs and short stories spanning 50 years of life in his adopted city as seen through a social justice lens. He recently wrote a biography of Senator Peter Bosa.
Giovanna Riccio A prize-winning poet, book reviewer, sometimes-lecturer, and teacher who thrives on intellectual pursuits, Giovanna Riccio is graduate of the University of Toronto where she majored in philosophy. She is the author of Vittorio (Lyricalmyrical Press, 2010) Strong Bread (Quattro Books, 2011), and Plastic’s Republic (Guernica Editions, 2019) which was a finalist for the 2022 Bressani Prize. Her work has appeared in national and international publications, numerous anthologies and has been translated into six languages.
