Sheri-D Wilson

Sheri-D Wilson is a Canadian poet and playwright.

Sheri-D Wilson, known as The Mama of Dada, has 8 collections of poetry. Her most recent, "Goddess Gone Fishing for a Map of the Universe," is the first poetry book to use QR Codes that connect to video/audio/and interactive talk-back. Her collection, Re:Zoom (2005, Frontenac House), won the 2006 Stephan G. Stephansson Award for Poetry, and was shortlisted for the CanLit Award.

In 2011 she edited, The Spoken Word Workbook: inspiration from poets who teach (CSWS/BCP), an educational tool for teaching and writing Spoken Word. The cutting-edge website connected to this book presents a possible direction for electronic publishing in the future.

She has 2 Spoken Word CDs (arranged by Russell Broom), and 4 award-winning VideoPoems including: Airplane Paula (2001), Spinsters Hanging in Trees (2002), all produced for BravoFACT.

In 2009 CBC called her one of the Top 10 Poets in Canada. In 2003 she won the USA Heavyweight title for poetry, and in 2006 The National Slam of Canada presented her with the Poet of Honour Award. Of the beat tradition, in 1989 Sheri-D studied at Naropa University's Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics, in Boulder, Colorado. In 2012 she was presented in the opening event of The National Slam of Canada in a Toronto event called, "Legends of Spoken Word."

Community:

• Founded/ Artistic Director - Calgary Spoken Word Festival (2003-2013)
• Founded/ Directed - The Spoken Word Program @ The Banff Centre (2005-2012)
• Produced - TH National Slam of Canada (SpoCan) 2008
• Co-founded and organized the Vancouver Small Press Festival 1988-1990
• Co-founded and organized The Commercial Street Art Festival 1988-1990

Other Awards Include:

• ffwd Readers’ Choice Award—Best Poet (2007-2012)
• CBC Arts Top 10 Poets in Canada (2009)
• Global TV's Woman of Vision Award (2006)
• SpoCan Poet of Honour Award (2005)
• Bumbershoot Heavyweight Title for Poetry USA (2003)
• Gold Award at the Houston Film Festival (2003)
• Three ACE awards (2003)
• AMPIA (2003, for best short or vignette)
• CBC Face-off (2002).

Reading Highlights:

• WordFest 2012 (Calgary)
• V125PC 2011 (Vancouver)
• National Slam-Legends of Spoken Word 2011 (Toronto)
• Vancouver International Writers Festival '11,'02,'00,'95,'93,'90 (Vancouver)
• Maple Stirrup en El Arco de la virgin 2010 (Barcelona)
• Art 4 Change 2010 (Harlem)
• Festival maelstrÖm reEvolution 2010 (Brussels)
• Blue Met 2009 (Montreal)
• Voix d'Amériques 2008,2005 (Montreal)
• Bumbershoot 2003, 1999, 1992, 1991, 1989 (Seattle)
• The World Poetry Bout 2002 (Taos, New Mexico)
• Poetry Africa 2001 (South Africa)
• WordFest 2008, 2000, ’95 (Calgary; Banff)
• Harbourfront Reading Series 1993 (Toronto)
• Small Press Festival 1990 (New York City)

Other Highlights:

• Women and Words, 2003-2012 (instructor)
• First Time Eyes: Unearthing Spoken Word, 2007 essay (Canadian Theatre Review)
• Heart of a Poet, 2006, featured poet documentary series
• Bowery Project, 2005 (Instructor), Alberta Scene, 2005 (a commemoration of Alberta's centennial)
• Human Rights Symposium 2005: Victoria
• Sounds Like Canada, 2002 CBC Poet in Residence
• Addicted: Notes From The Belly Of The Beast, 2001 essay entitled Blackout
• Confessions a Jazz Play, 1991 text of play (Theatrum)