Dave Bidini named Laurier’s Visiting Writer for Fall 2019

Oct. 3, 2019
For Immediate Release

Waterloo – Dave Bidini, an accomplished Canadian author, journalist and musician, has been chosen as Wilfrid Laurier University’s Visiting Writer from Oct. 28 to Nov. 1, 2019. Bidini’s writing career spans an impressive range of Canadian topics and genres, including sports, sport culture and his experiences as a musician and founding member of the indie-rock band The Rheostatics.

During his time at Laurier’s Waterloo and Brantford campuses, Bidini will visit classes and conduct writing workshops for students. He will also host a number of public events.

“We are excited to host Dave Bidini as Laurier’s Visiting Writer for 2019,” said Maureen Mancuso, interim provost and vice-president: academic. “His literary achievements and musical talent enable him to connect with a wide range of students, staff, faculty and members of the Laurier community in both Brantford and Waterloo. We look forward to Dave joining our community.”

In his most recent book, Midnight Light: A Personal Journey to the North, Bidini explores topics related to living in Canada’s North, including the meaning of community there and issues facing residents. The book is based on his experiences living in Yellowknife in 2015.

Bidini is the only person to have been nominated for Canada's Gemini, Genie and Juno awards, as well as CBC's "Canada Reads" competition. He is a three-time National Magazine Awards winner and is currently a National Post journalist and the publisher of the West End Phoenix community newspaper in Toronto. 

Laurier has a tradition of inviting noteworthy Canadian writers to engage with its communities as public intellectuals during an intensive one-week visiting writer residency. The goal of this immersive experience is for visiting writers to share their knowledge and creativity, while fostering dialogue with students, faculty, staff, and the public about a current social question. During their stay, visiting writers meet with students, classes or reading groups, offer workshops in areas of expertise, deliver public talks or engage in other community events.

Past Visiting Writers have included Lawrence Hill (2010), Joseph Boyden (2012), Alissa York (2013) and Elizabeth Hay (2014).