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Kris Demeanor named Calgary’s inaugural poet laureate

(Photo: Adina Currie)

Kris Demeanor has been named Calgary’s first poet laureate. The singer-songwriter and spoken word artist accepted the newly minted position at Calgary’s City Hall earlier today.

In a press release, Demeanor says, “My mom and dad’s families came to Calgary in the 1950s intoxicated by the classic frontier dreams of boundless opportunity and big nature. I’m a fortunate son of those fulfilled promises, and have had a lifelong centre line seat to Calgary’s evolution into a bundle of wild contradictions, alternately inspiring and confounding, an over-indulged child with flashes of old wisdom and visionary plans.

“I am delighted and humbled to have been enlisted to articulate the Calgary experience through language over the next two years, and will do so with a solid balance of humour, history, gravitas, celebration, critique and raw entertainment value. I look forward to being your mirror.”

During his two-year term, for which he receives an honorarium of $10,000, Demeanor will perform at official city events, write commissioned works, and trumpet Calgary’s art scene.