Narratives of Citizenship will be hosting an Artists' Gala on the evening of Saturday, March 24, 2007 in the Jubilee Auditorium Banquet Room. Prominent Alberta writers and performing artists will share, through their art, their vision of the artist's role in shaping awareness in both local and global communities.

Master of Ceremonies: Christopher Grignard

Presenters:

Myrna Kostash is one of Canada's best-known creative non-fiction writers, with seven critically acclaimed books to her credit, including the classic All of Baba's Children. Maclean's cited her travel memoir Bloodlines: A Journey into Eastern Europe as "one of [1993's] ten best books of the year." She has written for theatre cabaret, radio drama, and television documentary.

Shirley Serviss has published three poetry collections, the most recent of which, entitled Hitchhiking in the Hospital, draws from her experience as an Artist on the Wards at the University of Alberta Hospital.

Darrin Hagen, "radical gender warrior and drag artiste," is a playwright and television personality. His play The Edmonton Queen: Not A Riverboat Story won the Sterling Award for Outstanding New Fringe Work, and he is the host/ess of a new series on gender for the LIFE Network, entitled Who's on Top?, for which he received the AMPIA Award for Best Male Host.

Malcolm Azania, a.k.a. Minister Faust, is a teacher, activist, radio personality, and the author of two novels—The Coyote Kings of the Space-Age Bachelor Pad (2004), and From the Notebooks of Dr. Brain (2007). A founding member of the Living History Group (LHG)of the Council of Canadians of African and Caribbean Heritage (CCACH), he has worked for years in Edmonton's African communities on cultural and justice issues.

Trevor Tchir began writing songs in Ottawa, where he also recorded three albums and hosted a weekly performing arts event with poet K.L. McKay at Cafe Nostalgica, between gigs as a Parliamentary Page and Tour Guide. He now performs and records in Edmonton, while pursuing a PhD in Political Philosophy.

"LJ Steele"– Lonny-Jay Renard – is a U of A graduate in theatre and sociology. A performance-based artist in both female and male drag, he has received awards that recognize his performance-based fundraising for charities within the GLBTQ community. He is the founder of the only Canadian chapter of the Pride Cheerleading Association, as well as Green with Envy, an annual fundraiser for the GLBTQ community.