Vic U Partners with Toronto International Festival of Authors
Victoria University’s Centre for Creativity has embarked on a new partnership with the Toronto International Festival of Authors as Canada’s largest literary festival becomes a fully independent organization.
TIFA will be holding many of its events at the university’s Isabel Bader Theatre, including a sold-out conversation with Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie on March 13 about her first novel in 10 years, Dream Count.
TIFA and the Centre for Creativity will also partner to put on two literary events this year, the Motive Crime & Mystery Festival on June 27-29, Canada’s premier crime and mystery festival, and the flagship Toronto International Festival of Authors, Oct. 29-Nov. 2, with exclusive opportunities to hear Canadian and international literary voices.
"We have a long history of championing and developing creativity at Victoria University,” said Rhonda N. McEwen, president and vice-chancellor. “Our faculty and students, including Norman Jewison, Margaret Atwood, Northrop Frye, Arthur Schalow and Zalika Reid-Benta, exemplify our belief that creativity thrives at the intersection of ideas, disciplines and unique voices.”
Victoria University founded its Centre for Creativity in May 2024 to bring together students, faculty, artists, thinkers and others from the arts, sciences, and technology to find creative solutions to the problems facing our society and creative ways to foster equitable, diverse and inclusive communities.
“We see TIFA as an ideal new partner in this vision,” McEwen said. “By bringing together world-class authors, innovative thinkers and passionate readers, this partnership will not only enrich Toronto’s literary landscape but also create new opportunities for experiential learning, engagement, and storytelling innovation for our students and community."
TIFA Director Roland Gulliver said the new partnership with Victoria University represents the next chapter in TIFA's storied history of championing literary excellence in a city that has produced so many world-renowned writers.
“It will enable us to offer high quality events, greater access for audiences and new education and outreach opportunities,” he said. “Our year-round programme of festivals and events will deepen our relations with publishers, partners, creative institutions, authors and artists to cultivate an ecosystem of constant storytelling innovation. When the world and Canada are in extreme turmoil, that just signals there is no better time to show the power of stories, ideas and conversation to make a better world.”