NorthWord Magazine Marks National Poetry Month with Issue 33 Launch Event

Plastic-themed edition explores sustainability, creativity, and transformation through literature and art

Fort McMurray, Alberta – NorthWord Magazine will celebrate National Poetry Month with the launch of Issue 33 on April 25, 2026, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Fort McMurray International Airport (Level 3).

The magazine’s Plastic-themed edition, guest edited by Emma Carter, Engagement Manager at Arts Council Wood Buffalo, arrives just days after Earth Day and invites readers to reflect on sustainability and our evolving relationship with material culture through literature and visual art.

"Plastic is something that can be so bright, malleable, and playful, but which also carries an ecological weight, especially as we witness the continued impacts of industrialization on the natural world," said Emma Carter, NorthWord Issue 33 Guest Editor. 

"Art is a powerful way to capture a moment, and the contributors to this edition demonstrate how artists play a vital role responding to and illuminating current events."

That spirit of transformation extends beyond the printed page. The launch event will also spotlight local artists who incorporate sustainability directly into their work.

Issue 33 cover artist Michelle Foran will share the inspiration behind the artwork featured on the magazine’s cover.

Katrina Rodriguez, owner of Alquimia Home & Soul, creates living art using moss spheres and will discuss how they offer a sustainable, space-saving alternative to traditional potted plants.

Anna Pottie, Communications Coordinator for NCCSW, upcoming NorthWord guest editor, and local artist, will discuss how she repurposes old T-shirts by giving them new life through tie-dye designs featuring her Millennial Life Crisis branding.

The publication is produced under the direction of the Northern Canada Collective Society for Writers (NCCSW), a local nonprofit that provides funding and support to publish the literary magazine.

"While we’re celebrating National Poetry Month, NorthWord has always been more than poetry,” said Dawn Booth, President of the Northern Canada Collective Society for Writers. "It’s a space where writers, visual artists, and creative thinkers across our community come together to explore the ideas shaping our region."

The 2026 launch events are made possible through partnership with the Fort McMurray Airport Authority. Free parking will be available to all guests. No tickets are required, and refreshments and light snacks will be provided.

Guests are encouraged to RSVP through NorthWord Magazine’s Facebook event.

The NCCSW launch events are free and open to the public.