Embassy Cultural House partners with Words!

Since 2021, Embassy Cultural House has partnered with Words: The Literary and Creative Arts Festival in London, Ontario, to collaborate on a range of events that have been timely and inspiring. This year, Words is celebrating its 10th anniversary, with an amazing lineup on the way! Congratulations to Josh Lambier, Artistic Director of Words and the volunteer team for their commitment and efforts to bring this creative interdisciplinary program to London.

Words returns to Museum London for the 10th anniversary festival, featuring a hybrid program of onsite and online events to build resilience as we confront the crises of our moment with creativity and care. Embassy Cultural House (ECH) has partnered with Words on some key events, in order to highlight Canada’s finest artists, performers, and authors.

Taking place in November of 2023, the festival will host over 40 writers and artists and will revolve around the theme of “Crisis, Creativity & Care."

Words is open to everyone, and most events are either free or by donation.

With Words, we're pleased to host bestselling author and Globe and Mail health columnist André Picard at our November 3rd opening event. André is a leading voice on the impact and consequences of COVID-19 in Canada. He has reported on the pandemic from a wide range of perspectives concerning public health. How strong is our healthcare system? What challenges can it withstand? What lessons have we learned from COVID-19? Journalist and filmmaker Janice Zolf will join André to talk about his award-winning coverage of the coronavirus pandemic and its aftermath.

On Saturday morning, November 4th, we are also pleased to feature a conversation between Don McKay and Sally McKay on their new children's book, The Rock Box. Larry Towell will join us for a performance, accompanied by Mike Stevens and Anne Lindsay, in Museum London's auditorium later that night at 7 PM. Sunday afternoon, November 5th, Don McKay will join Jane Munro for a poetry reading and conversation.

There is an exciting lineup of readings, interviews, talks, and other interactive events with some of Canada’s most recognized thinkers, writers, and artists. While some events are either strictly online or onsite, the majority have a hybrid option for in-person or online participation! Follow the appropriate registration links below to join ECH and Words!

Get Your Tickets for Opening Night!

Embassy Cultural House and the Words Festival are pleased to present an evening performance with acclaimed photographer, poet, and performer Larry Towell, who will be joined by harmonica virtuoso Mike Stevens and award-winning fiddler Anne Lindsay!

This one-hour performance of original ballads employs Larry’s photographs, video, and songs of protest and conflict from Central America, Palestine and Afghanistan to Ukraine, Standing Rock and Mexico, tied together by the theme of dispossession.

Mike has played at the Grande Ole Opry more than 300 times and toured with world renowned musicians from Nashville’s Jim and Jessie to Canada’s Matt Anderson. He is founder of ArtsCan Circle bringing music to First Nations children in the north.

Anne Lindsay is an award winning fiddler/violinist, vocalist, and a master of diverse styles who has recorded and toured with bands and musicians from Led Zeppelin to James Taylor, Jim Cuddy, Blue Rodeo and others in a long and diverse career. She brings a breath of her own fresh air to the stage of live music.

The event is also a book signing for The Mennonites, the recent re-print of Larry’s classic book, as well as "The Man I Left Behind", a three vinyl record set of original songs. It is also the name of his soon to be released feature length film.

Larry is the only Canadian member of Magnum Photos, founded in 1947 by Henri Cartier-Bresson and Robert Capa.

Register on EventBrite to Attend In-Person Free

Embassy Cultural House and Words are pleased to present a visit with acclaimed poet Don McKay and artist and illustrator Sally McKay, who will join us for a lively discussion of their collaboration on a new children's book, The Rock Box.

You might be surprised by a piece of quartz next to the butter in the fridge, or a lump of peridotite between the cushions on the sofa. There was sandstone in the hall and lava in the bathroom. It was, Petra thought to herself, a lavatory, after all.

Petra loves rocks, and collects them with a passion. She keeps them in her bedroom, in the kitchen cupboards, between the cushions of the living-room sofa, even in the bathroom medicine cabinet. Petra’s parents do not love rocks. At least, not as much as Petra does. To convince her to winnow down her collection, her parents offer her a wonderful treasure—a rock box, with a selection of the rocks and minerals found in her home province of Newfoundland and Labrador. But, wait, is one of those rocks winking at her? Acclaimed Canadian poet Don McKay creates a charming tale of geology, deep time, and connection in his first children’s book.

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Register to Attend Online Free: Zoom Webinars

Words and Embassy Cultural House are pleased to host a visit with the artists and curators of GardenShip & State for a launch of their exhibition catalogue.

GardenShip and State: A Book is a World
Featuring: Patrick Mahon, Jeff Thomas (Co-curators),
Katie Wilhelm (Designer); Ruth Skinner (Editor) Tom Cull, Michelle Wilson (Contributors), and Marlene Creates, Patricia Deadman (Respondents)

How do art book publications represent worlds and propose world-making? This gathering of curators, artists, designer/editors and writers will address the ways art projects can lead to the production of catalogues and books as archives of cultural materials that act as references and touchstones for ongoing work towards positive change and transformation. Curators Patrick Mahon and Jeff Thomas will be joined by collaborators and book producers, Tom Cull, Ruth Skinner, Katie Wilhelm and Michelle Wilson, to trace the journey from the GardenShip and State exhibition to its published iterations as a book and an almanac. The conversation will be enhanced by responses and stories from Newfoundland-based artist, Marlene Creates, and Curator of the Woodland Cultural Centre, Patricia Deadman, who will share some of their own tales and evidence of other publication-making journeys.

For the full program of GardenShip and State events, please visit the event page!

Register on EventBrite to Attend In-Person Free

Register to Attend Online Free: Zoom Webinars