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Uchechukwu Peter Umezurike is an assistant professor in the Department of English and the 2025-2026 Wayne O. McCready Emerging Fellow at the Calgary Institute for the Humanities, University of Calgary, Canada. His teaching and research interests include African and African Diaspora literatures, postcolonial literatures, gender and sexuality, cultural studies, and creative writing.

Erika is an emerging self-taught artist that uses photography as her medium. Born and raised in Mexico, Schmidt has been living in Canada since 2012, making Port Moody her home. Using her iPhone as her main tool to create art, Schmidt champions its use to blur the line between what is considered “professional” and “amateur” photography. The ability to choose a composition, harness natural light, or convey emotion is what truly transforms an image into a memorable work of art.

Born in 1979 in Saskatoon, Jackie Morisette is a self-taught multidisciplinary artist who works primarily in watercolours, inks, and acrylics. First guided by her impressionist mother she refined her affinity towards atmosphere and light through a series of independent studies and workshops in Florence, Barcelona, Brussels, Mexico City, and at home.

Lisa Martin is an award-winning poet and essayist. She is the author of three full-length collections of poetry, One Crow Sorrow (Brindle & Glass, 2008), Believing is Not the Same as Being Saved (University of Alberta Press, 2017), and Nighthawks (University of Alberta Press, 2026). Her first novel is A Story Can Be Told About Pain (NeWest Press, 2025). She is Assistant Professor of Creative Writing at MacEwan University in Edmonton, on Treaty 6 territory.

Michael Vadney is an American fantasy author and podcaster. Born in the Florida Keys and raised in the woods of Pennsylvania, Michael's love for storytelling began at an early age. His passion for fantasy literature was ignited by classics like The Hobbit and Redwall, inspiring him to create his own worlds filled with complex characters and fantastic magic.

Magnus Lindblom grew up in southern Sweden close to nature and has always found inspiration in the landscape and birds that often appear in his art. After studying computer science, he worked as an engineer in Stockholm, where he developed an interest in Chinese calligraphy and studied in Hangzhou, China. Following burnout in 2004, he turned to painting, specializing in watercolour and printmaking. Magnus has exhibited across Europe, including Venice and Matera, and e

Marvit Ahanonu is a multidisciplinary artist and architectural designer whose work spans digital art, sculpture, painting, and immersive technology. With a background in art and architecture, she brings a unique nexus of art and science harmoniously. With a keen eye for detail and a deep commitment to storytelling through art on social issues challenging the society, Marvit has collaborated with a museum, research initiatives, and advocacy groups to create impactful visual na

Madara Tropa (1987, Latvia) graduated from the National University of the Arts “La Esmeralda” in Mexico City and received an MFA degree from The Art Academy of Latvia. She has participated in group exhibitions at Pier-2 Art Center in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, Winzavod Contemporary Art Center in Moscow, Russia, Equity Gallery in New York, Mexico City Museum, Toluca Museum of Modern Art, etc. . Her artworks oscillate between fiction and reality, searching for her deepest understanding

Mukul Chandra Barman is a Creative Designer at the BRAC James P Grant School of Public Health (BRAC University), where he works across branding, visual communication, and publication design in support of public health programs and events. His practice blends innovation, accessibility, and visual storytelling to create meaningful connections with audiences.

Urve Tõnnus is an Estonian visual artist whose work blends abstract expressionism with poetic atmospheres and subtle emotional narratives. With a background in painting and graphic design, she creates layered, intuitive compositions that explore memory, movement, and the quiet tension between structure and spontaneity. Her work has been exhibited internationally, and she continues to develop a distinct visual language rooted in sensitivity, experimentation, and a deep respec

Bogna Woskowicz, a Polish artist, specializes in painting, printmaking, and sculpture. In 2023, she graduated from the Strzemiński Academy of Fine Arts in Lodz. Her art focuses on landscapes and their various interpretations, taking a unique approach. By observing seemingly mundane and dull everyday landscapes, she aims to capture and convey their hidden beauty.

Katerina Grancharova is a Bulgarian artist, born in Ukraine and based in Sofia. Her work moves between portraiture and abstraction, seeking harmony between the inner and outer worlds. Through vibrant colours and emotional depth, she transforms personal experience into universal reflection. Through a style that weaves together contemporary, abstract, expressionist, and pop art sensibilities, she creates a vibrant visual language exploring themes of identity, emotion, and th

Robin Duncan is an emerging, self-taught artist based in Edmonton, Alberta. She is passionate about creating hand-cut analog collages, watercolours, and other mixed media pieces. Her watercolour art was recently featured on merchandise for local indie and folk singer-songwriter Tina Hertz.

Tatiana is represented by Ian Tan Gallery in Vancouver and is an active member of the Federation of Canadian Artists. She is widely recognized for leading art demonstrations, teaching classes, and exhibiting in both national and international shows. Her paintings are held in private collections worldwide.

Aida Gradina is a professional photographer whose journey began in 2009 when she attended the Vancouver Institute of Media Arts. Now based on Pender Island, British Columbia, she was born and raised in Vukovar, Croatia, and moved to Canada at the age of nine. Her fine art photography has been exhibited in galleries throughout Canada and Europe, and her work has been featured in several international publications.

Sreelekha Chatterjee is an award-winning writer, poet, and editor. She has a postgraduate degree in science from Calcutta University and is also a trained singer with a degree in music (Geeta Bharati). Through her creative writing, she delves into the countless facets of human experience and aims to capture the ordinary, often overlooked aspects of daily existence, transforming them into subjects of reflection.

" I came to poetry through songwriting. As a music-obsessed teenager, I stumbled across a battered copy of Blake’s Songs of Innocence and of Experience at a yard sale. I still have it. Inside the cover, scrawled in pencil, is “50¢.” Best investment I ever made. That little paperback has followed me everywhere since, and I return to it often. Blake taught me that language can be both music and meaning at once. I’ve been chasing that alchemy ever since."

"...look at your story as an opportunity. One of the novels I’m drafting came from a short story I entered in a contest just like this one. It didn’t win, but it did generate a wonderful idea that I’m gleefully pursuing."

Matteo L. Cerilli (he/him) is a transmasc author and activist specializing in speculative fiction for all ages. His work features the YA horror novel LOCKJAW (Tundra, 2024); middle grade ghost story SOMETHING'S UP WITH ARLO (Harper Collins Canada, 2025); YA noir BAD IN THE BLOOD (Tundra, 2025); young YA gamer action FATHOM FALL (Bloomsbury, 2026); a featured short story in BURY YOUR GAYS: AN ANTHOLOGY OF TRAGIC QUEER HORROR (Ghoulish Books, 2024); and poetry in Augur magazine

"Storytelling has stemmed into various aspects of my life, from dance to stage and even film. In the end, though, the written word forever has my heart and soul."