Deep curation is an experimental approach to poetry reading organization. Traditionally, a handful of poets are invited to read, then assigned a timeslot in which to share their writing; what they choose to read is completely up to their discretion implying that how the night unfolds collectively is dependent on chance and improvisation. In contrast, a deep curated reading emphasizes the directed nature of literary event planning. The curator selects the exact poems each reader will recite, as well as the thematic arc of the poems’ placement and progression in relation to one another. Instead of isolating readers as individuals sharing only their own work, there is more of a dynamic, sometimes fragmentary, dialogue between the poems of all participating authors.

Considering that the curator scripts the reading as a cohesive entity, a deep curated event represents her creative vision. She allows the work of the participating authors to collaborate towards the creation of a new, polyvocal yet collectively synergized poetic rendition. Not using the word performance is deliberate. Deep curation maintains the minimalist format of the traditional poetry reading in terms of not supplementing poems with choreographed movement, additional sound effects, lighting, or other performative extras.

The proposed reading will the third in a series of deep curational experiments hosted in Montreal and Toronto with consistently positive audience feedback. Due to the innovative nature of this event, the proposed poetry reading will be followed by a panel discussion, and question and answer session in order to parse the process and product of deep curation in a more theoretically engaged manner.