Sheila Watt-Cloutier to Appear in Expanded Indigenous Voices Series at 20th Wordfest

Indigenous Voices Series at 20th Anniversary Festival

(Calgary, AB — April 27, 2015) Sheila Watt-Cloutier is slated to appear in the Festival's dedicated Indigenous Voices Series at Wordfest, October 13-18, 2015.

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Sheila Watt-Cloutier is a recipient of the Aboriginal Achievement Award, the UN Champion of the Earth Award and the prestigious Norwegian Sophie Prize. She is also an officer of the Order of Canada. She has written several works on topics such as Inuit rights and climate change, and now presents her latest work, The Right to be Cold.

The Right to Be Cold is a human story of resilience, commitment and survival told from the unique vantage point of an Inuk woman who, in spite of many obstacles, rose from humble beginnings to become one of the most influential and decorated environmental, cultural and human rights advocates in the world.

About the New Series

Described as “a festival within a festival,” the Indigenous Voices Series features renowned artists from First Nations, Inuit and Metis communities.

In addition to Sheila Watt-Cloutier, Drew Hayden Taylor, Richard Van Camp and Aaron Paquette are among the presenters confirmed to date. More artists in the Festival lineup will be announced over the spring and summer.

The Indigenous Voices Series will be held in schools and public venues, and is designed to introduce more readers of all ages to Canada’s rich landscape of contemporary literature by Indigenous artists. It will include a number of Wordfest’s hallmark event formats, such as workshops, storytelling events, poetry readings, spoken word performances, marquee showcases, on-stage interviews and intimate gatherings that explore Canada's shared history and vision for the future.

Wordfest is a not-for-profit arts organization that brings readers and writers together to experience the power of story through a premier international writers festival and year-round events in Calgary and the Bow Valley. The 20th annual Wordfest runs from October 13 to 18, 2015.

For media inquiries, please contact Everett Wilson, Wordfest Communications, at ewilson@wordfest.com

The expanded program is possible thanks to generous support from the Calgary Foundation.