Creative Writing
The creative writing programme has been one of the triumphs of our university. Aided by the Calgary Distinguished Writers Program, it has attracted national and international acclaim. It is one of the busiest and most productive areas of our Department. The Creative Writing faculty are all accomplished writers who, together, offer instruction in the broadest possible range of writing genres, styles and aesthetic concerns. Teaching, research, creativity, publication, editorial work, journalism, and contributing to the Calgary and Canadian arts communities are so interwoven for faculty members in this program that it is difficult to isolate the research component. That scholarly research is essential, however, is apparent in the fact that in addition to five volumes of poetry, five volumes of fiction, one play, three translations and countless literary readings -- faculty members also published: 34 critical articles, one critical book, one edited book, 49 conference papers, and 72 book reviews during the period 2000-2006. |
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7:30, Thursday, December 15
Pages on Kensington
Calgary Launch of
OHMHOLE
a novel
by Tyler Hayden
Imagine a not-so-distant future in which everyone is HIV positive and, sooner or later, ends up in a state-operated hospice dying of AIDS. In a broken socio-economic order, governments have been reduced to a single function: extending the lives of their citizens with anti-retroviral treatment (ART) drugs. Meanwhile, rumours have coalesced into a widespread belief in the existence of a cure for HIV that is also exchanged through bodily fluids. Sex, casual, friendly or indifferent in all its forms offers a possible cure. Consequently, genders, sexuality and relationships have been altered drastically. Elliott lies in the hospice among the dying, his only remaining purpose: to serve as a subject for sociological and psychological research, research that is conducted via a nano-tech device to which the patient is wired. The device, called a Spade has a twofold purpose: to read and manifest Elliott's thoughts along with bits of cultural detritus into his room, and to produce a tranquilizing effect on the patient.
Tyler Hayden has written a world that is as thrilling as it is nightmarish, a dystopia where almost everyone is suffering from the same terminal illness that may or may not have a cure, where government is everywhere and nowhere. His language is meditative, sensual, and always engrossing – the work absolutely original and alarmingly prescient. Ohmhole troubles at the same time that it illuminates. Tyler Hayden is a wonderful new talent. ‐ Suzette Mayr
In Ohmhole, Tyler Hayden has extruded the inner muck of language into entirely new cavities. I insist this must be done from now on. – Tony Burgess
Here at last is the swift hard kick in the pants Canlit so badly needs. – Robert Majzels
Tyler Hayden recently completed an MA in English at the University of Calgary.
Creative Writing Research Group Videos
view videos of events, readings, panels, performances
To see a complete listing of upcoming Events
The Creative Writing Research Group spreads 100 poems across the campus with:
POEM of the Season. See past season's poems or submit your own!
Canadian Association of Creative Writing Teachers and Programs
In 2010, the University of Calgary Creative Writing Program and the Banff Centre for the Literary Arts invited creative writing instructors across Canada to a founding conference of an association of writers and writing programs. The CCWWP will be holding its second conference on May 10-13, 2012 in Toronto. See the CCWWP webpage for more information.
We urge our students to become familiar with the Writers Guild of Alberta, a provincial arts service organization that represents both professional and emerging writers in Alberta.
For more information about Creative Writing courses and requirements, contact:
Professor Robert Majzels
Creative Writing Coordinator
Department of English
rmajzels [at] ucalgary [dot] ca