Derek Beaulieu chosen as Banff Poet Laureate

We are thrilled that our outstanding team member Derek Beaulieu has been selected as Banff’s Poet Laureate. Banff Centre is privileged to have been a part of the Bow Valley community for close to 90 years and we are thankful for the foundational relationships we have with the municipalities here. Derek brings a wealth of literary and creative experience to this role. We are delighted that he continues to serve as Director of Literary Arts at Banff Centre and know that he will do a great job as Poet Laureate for Banff

Banff has a long history of writing and art, and I am eager to work with the town to explore the poetic possibilities of our home and community. Banff’s previous laureates Steven Ross Smith and Amelie Patterson both have left huge legacies of artistic engagement and I thank them for all their creativity. I am so excited to share my enthusiasm for poetry with our town and guests. Banff’s streets and pathways, schools, and gathering places, have always inspired imagination; I look forward to being part of that ongoing dialogue. I am honoured to be chosen as Banff’s newest Poet Laureate.