Italian Week Ottawa 2026: Queer Italian Voices: Italian-Canadian Writers Today

Join us for an evening with Liana Cusmano, Italian‑Canadian poet, spoken‑word artist, writer, filmmaker, and arts educator, as they take the stage for a special in‑person reading celebrating LGBTQ+ Italian‑Canadian voices.

Through memory, language, desire, and inheritance, Liana’s pieces move between the tenderness of family stories and the urgency of queer self‑definition. This evening will conclude with a live Q&A, moderated by Jessica Carpinone queer writer and co-owner of Bread By Us bakery, offering space for reflection, dialogue, and conversation about art, identity, and belonging.

Food and beverages will be served.

Writer, filmmaker, spoken word artist, and arts educator Liana Cusmano (Luca/BiCurious George) is a three-time Montreal Slam Champion, and 2019 Canadian Individual Poetry Slam Championship runner-up. Their novel Catch & Release (2022) was published by Guernica Editions. They are a two-time finalist for the QWF Spoken Word Prize, and winner of the 2024 Society Pages Poetry Contest. They are also Fiction Editor at the literary journal carte blanche.

About Jessica Carpinone

Jessica Carpinone (she/her) is a baker and writer from Ottawa. She spends most of her waking hours at Bread by Us bakery, which she opened in 2013. Jess’ writing has appeared in Volumes 1 & 2 of Here and Now: An Anthology of Queer Italian-Canadian Writing.

Bread By Us | @breadbyus

We acknowledge the funding and support from the Canada Council for the Arts through The Writers’ Union of Canada. Thank you. Grazie!