Artist Talk: On Interdisciplinarity
February 4, 2020 @ Concordia University
Artist Talk on my path as a professional artist working across disciplines; presented to Faculty of Fine Arts first year students
Theatre: Trapped in Elon’s Mansion
POP! Montreal, September 28, 2019 @ Cinema L’Amour, Montreal QC, 22h30
Bebenek plays famous Montreal electronic artist, Grimes in this sold out show!
Reading: Pivot Season Opener
September 12, 2019 @ Tranzac Club (Toronto ON), 19h - 22h
Season opening reading with Jessica Bebenek, JC Bouchard, and Michelle Brown
Reading: One-Off Reading Series
July 18, 2019 @ Brasserie Beaubien (Montreal QC), 22h
featuring readers Jessice Bebenek, Ky Brooks, James Nicholas Dumile Goddard, and Khashayar Mohammadi
Reading from k2tog at the Art Bar
Reading: IN~timate Summer Reading (Metatron Press)
Tuesday, 25 June 2019 from 19:30 EDT-23:00 EDT
Readings from Joseph Ianni, A. Light Zachary, Jessica Bebenek, Ali Pinkney, Helen Chau Bradley, Bára Hladíková, Pamela Beyer, Meghan Greeley, Sadie Avery
Reading: ℱℯℯ𝓁 𝒯𝓇𝒾𝓅 𝓃ℴ. 1
Saturday, 22 June 2019 from 19:00 EDT, dans la montagne (Montreal QC)
Love readings but tired of indoor voices? Looking to combine the pleasures of literature with the emotional charge of breaking a rule? Introducing feel trip™, an ad-hoc reading series for the outdoorsy aesthete. For the first incarnation of feel trip™ we're throwing a bonfire reading on the steppes of Mont Royal. It's going to be romantic and wonderful, equal parts teenage nostalgia, solstice celebration, and Dead Poets Society cosplay event. Readings by the lovely and talented: Stacey Tran (RI, USA), James Gendron (RI, USA), Jessica Bebenek (MTL), Amber Dearest (MTL), Prue Gendron (MTL), Sophie McCreesh (TO)
Knitting Circle @ Banff Centre Library
During my writing residency at the Banff Centre for Arts & Creativity (Banff, AB), I gave a talk and led a workshop based on my book k2tog in which we knitted some of the poems
Reading: Art Bar Feature
Tuesday, 12 March 2019 at 20:00 EDT @ Free Times Cafe (Toronto ON)
Featured readers: Patrick Connors, Jessica Bebenek, Degan Davis
Reading: Épiques Voices: Bilingual Poetry Show
Monday, 11 March 2019 from 20:00 EDT-23:00 EDT @ La Vitrola (Montreal QC)
Bilingual poetry readings presented by Festival Dans ta tête
Launch of k2tog at Drawn & Quarterly w Tara McGowan-Ross and Nora Collen Fulton
Artist Talk: The Void Magazine presents: TedXtra (TedxXxX)
Friday, 8 March 2019 from 18:00 EST-21:00 EST @ Concordia Fine Arts Reading Room (Montreal QC)
Graciously hosted in partnership with the Fine Arts Reading Room, The Void Magazine invites you to an evening of lectures, skill sharing, and performance featuring members of the Montreal artistic community. We are grateful to feature talks by five innovative artists who have experience in cross-disciplinary work. The Void is always striving to dissolve boundaries between artistic disciplines, and widen the realm of creative possibilities. What better way to learn about these areas of dissolving than to see it in practice? This event is free or by donation, the proceeds of which will go to the speakers.
Book Launch: Jessica Bebenek launches k2tog w/Fulton & McGowan-Ross
Thursday, 7 March 2019 from 19:00 EST-21:00 EST @ Libraire Drawn & Quarterly (Montreal QC)
Join us for a night of collaborative readings to celebrate the launch of k2tog, a new collection of knitting patterns for poems by Jessica Bebenek, published by Broken Dimanche Press. Nora Collen Fulton & Tara McGowan-Ross will join Bebenek in reading and in a discussion on process, materiality, and authority. Take home a copy of this risograph-printed art book which includes a pair of wooden knitting needles and twine, and knit your very own poem!
Book Launch: k2tog Launch & Collaborative Reading at knife|fork|book
Wednesday, 30 January 2019 from 18:30 EST-21:00 EST @ knife|fork|book (Toronto ON)
Join us for the launch of the new poetry-knitting collection k2tog by Jessica Bebenek, featured as a part of Knife Fork Book at The Dark Side Studio's FUCK WINTER WEEK. Local poet Fawn Parker will join Bebenek (and the audience...) in a collaborative reading of the text, followed by a short discussion of the project led by local badass Margeaux Natalie Feldman. Knit your poetry, talk over poets, and tell winter to fffff off.
Knitting Circle @ k|f|b to launch k2tog
Reading: number two: A CABARET’
January 18, 2019 @ Godberd (Montreal QC)
An interactive reading/performance of my knitted poem ‘The Waste Land’
Reading: LIT Reading Series
January 15, 2019 @ Crobar (Montreal QC)
Reading from Fourth Walk
Book Launch: KFB Poetry Lab Presents: k2tog Knitting Circle w/Jessica Bebenek
Saturday, December 15, 2018 at 3 PM EST – 5 PM EST @ knife|fork|book (Toronto, ON)
“Jessica Bebenek‘s k2tog (“knit two together”) is an interactive art book of knitting patterns for poems, published by Berlin’s Broken Dimanche Press. This collection contains an introductory essay and 9 knitting patterns for poems by women in which the authors speak to each other through text & time, as you will experience first-hand in this intimate afternoon knitting circle.”
Book Launch: K2tog Launch & Knitting Circle, knit your own poem!
Saturday, December 1, 2018 at 5 PM EST – 7 PM EST @ Le Cagibi (Montreal, QC)
“Meet us in the loft at Le Cagibi as Bebenek guides the group through knitting one of the poems from k2tog, as well as discussion on collaborative making and the structural links between knitting & poetry. The knitting will be very accessible, designed to make the process as easy as possible for first-time knitters, and all supplies are included with k2tog. Leave with a copy of the book and your very own knitted poem!”
Presentation: Montreal Mini Maker Faire 2018
November 16-17, 2018 @ Concordia University
Presenting on The Waste Land & leading participants in knitting the first ten lines of the poem
Reading: Post-Porn Screening from SIP: Appetite
Friday, October 26, 2018 at 7 PM EDT – 9 PM EDT @ La Mandragore (Montreal QC)
Community post-porn shorts projection night with poetry by writer Jessica Bebenek; Co-hosted by Feminist Library La Mandragore
“We are a collective of friends coming together to extend our conversations around eroticism. Expect intimacy, discussions and some freak's juicy films. Post-porn, to us, is a feminist approach to creating erotic works. Post-porn is creative, artistic, audacious, provocative and itches at our insides. It prioritizes the consent and empowerment of all those involved in the creative process both behind and in front of the camera. It is safer working conditions. It is showcasing bodies, desires and sexualities that are not given space to be seen and valued in porn and society. It seeks to be thoughtful, intentional, to honour and to humanize by considering how oppressive systems impact those involved and how they can be challenged in our artistic and intimate practices.”
Reading: Bad Books: Jordan Moffatt Montreal Launch
28 Oct 2018 at 19:00 – 29 Oct 2018 at 12:00 EDT @ Poisson Noir (Montreal QC)
Reading with Catherine Fatima, Adam Haiun, Jack Daniel Christie, Alisha Dukelow, and Jordan Moffat launching his book Clicking Into Place
Reading: Tree Reading Series
September 11, 2018 @ Black Squirrel Books
Featured reader along side Heather Cadsby
Resonance Reading Series w Canisia Lubrin, Jim Johnstone, and Jennifer Lovegrove
Presentation: Composite #15 présenté par Elektra au MT Lab
Thursday, 21 June 2018 from 17:00 EDT-19:30 EDT @ MT Lab, l’UQAM University (Montreal QC)
“The 15th Composite evening will be presented by Elektra Montreal at the MT Lab - Incubator of innovations in tourism, culture and entertainment. Composite meetings invite artists and digital entrepreneurs to share projects and concepts in development or completed, during a short and creative 7-minute presentation”
Presenting on The Waste Land as a form of binary coding expressed through textiles
Reading: Resonance Reading Series
Tuesday, November 7, 2017, 8:30 PM - 9:30 PM
Cafe Resonance, Montreal QC
Reading from my chapbook Fourth Walk alongside Canisia Lubrin, Jim Johnstone, and Jennifer Lovegrove
Reading: Bad Nudes Issue 2.4 Launch Party!
Tuesday, October 31, 2017, 8:00 PM - 11:00 PM
Brasserie Beaubien, Montreal QC
Reading from 'Fourth Walk' at the Halloween launch of Bad Nudes. Wear a costume!
Reading: Word from Her Side
Friday, October 27, 2017, 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Cafe Souf, Montreal QC
Words from Her Side features 10 female Montreal-based poets and an open mic opportunity for 5 emerging writers.
Performance: The Waste Land @ Toronto’s Nuit Blanche
Sat, Sep 30, 2017, 7:00 PM - Sun, Oct 1, 2017 7:00 AM (12 hours)
Freight Elevator at 401 Richmond, Toronto ON
Anthology Launch: Fermenting Feminism Toronto Launch
September 14, 2017 @ Critical Distance Centre for Curators (Artscape Youngplace), Toronto ON @ (TBA)
Launching the Fermenting Feminism collaborative zine, which includes my essay “Something That’s Dead”
Curated by Lauren Fournier; feat. artists Sarah Nasby, Agustine Zegers, Leila Nadir and Cary Peppermint, Regina de Miguel and Lucrecia Dalt, Sharlene Bamboat
Jess Taylor, Jessica Bebenek, and Jessie Jones celebrating the launch of their new Desert Pets chapbooks.
Reading: Yellow Door Reading
August 10, 2017 @ The Yellow Door (3625 Aylmer), Montreal QC @ 7:00
Cover charge $6; curated by Ilona Martonfi, hosted by Mike Di Sclafani
Reading from my new chapbook Fourth Walk; other readers TBA
Chapbook Launch: Desert Pets Montreal Launch
July 27, 2017 @ Rocket Science Room, Toronto ON @ doors 8, readings 9
Celebrate the launch of the Spring ’17 Desert Pets Press authors: Jessica Bebenek, Jess Taylor, and Jessie Jones
Chapbook Launch: Desert Pets Press Spring 2017 Launch
June 8, 2017 @ Reunion Island (385 Roncesvalles Ave.), Toronto ON @ 7:30
Celebrate the launch of the Spring ’17 Desert Pets Press authors: Jessica Bebenek, Jess Taylor, and Jessie Jones
Reading: ‘Muddied Waters’ Creative Night
May 25, 2017 @ Voodoo Child (388 College St.), Toronto ON @ 7:30
A night of creative readings from the participants in York University’s ‘Muddied Waters’ academic conference
Reading: Sophisticated Boom Boom No. 42
May 10, 2017 @ The Ossington (61 Ossington Ave.), Toronto ON @ 9 pm
Reading with Lou Bennett + open mic
Reading poetry on the subway for the Bring the Noise Street Poetry Tour
Reading: Bring the Noise: Street Poetry Tour 2017
April 29, 2017 @ 11am-7pm, Downtown Toronto
“With the support of the League of Canadian Poets, Authors for Indies, and PEN Canada, Inspiritus Press and Lexical Canada is organizing a pop up street reading tour for National Poetry Month. Thirty Canadian poets read on a route through major downtown Toronto locations, public transit, and areas of pedestrian traffic, including landmarks, book shops, cafes, and other venues. The event is in the spirit of bringing poetry to the general public and in solidarity of persecuted and imprisoned writers around the world. Donations during the readings will go to PEN Canada, a non-profit charity that works to protect the freedom of expression for writers.”
Reading: Vallum Issue 14:1 ‘Evolution’ – Toronto Launch
April 28, 2017 @ Supermarket (268 Augusta), Toronto ON @ 7 pm
Reading with Andy Lee, Chris Riddell, Sue Reynolds, Anthony Labriola, & Alan Reed
Reading: 30 Under 30 Toronto Launch
April 24, 2017 @ May (876 Dundas St. W.), Toronto ON @ 7pm
Reading with fellow millennials: joseph ianni, Bardia Sinaee, Cassidy McFadzean, Trevor Abes, dalton derkson, JC Bouchard, Chuqiao Yang, Jessie Jones, Adam Zachary
Watch the livestream, filmed by Daniel Goodbaum of tvCity
"The fun stops here, 'cause this is all about death." Reading at Knife Fork Books for Words(on)Stages (photo by A. Zachary)
Reading: Bad Nudes Issue 2.2 Launch
April 22, 2017 @ Isaac & Ebony’s place, Montreal QC @ 9pm
Reading with Eli Lynch, Karissa LaRocque, Jake Byrne, and Guillaume Morissette
Reading: 30 Under 30 Montreal Launch
April 21, 2017 @ Drawn & Quarterly (211 Bernard O.), Montreal QC @ 7pm
Reading with fellow millennials: Patrick O’Reilly, Jay Ritchie, Klara du Plessis, Ashley Opheim, Karissa LaRocque, and Brain Clarke
Reading: Exit Theater Montreal Launch
April 7, 2017 @ Temps Libre (5605 Ave. de Gaspe), Montreal QC @ 7pm
Reading with Mike Lala, Allyson Paty, jes dolan, and David Fleming
Reading: In/Words Issue 16.3 Launch + 30 Under 30 Re-launch
March 29, 2017 @ Clocktower Brew Pub (575 Bank St.), Ottawa ON @ 8:30pm
With Ian Martin, Priya Gurnani, Dana Carly Andrews & Logan Scott
Reading: Words on Stages & (parenthetical) 18 Launch
March 9, 2017 @ knife fork books (281 Augusta Ave.), Toronto ON @ 7pm
With Canisia Lubrin & Jordan Moffatt
Find coverage of the event on the knife fork books blog
Reading: from Operations
January 20, 2017 @ 8:15pm (livestream) & Knife Fork Books, Toronto ON
Reading the year ‘1974’ from Moez Surani’s Operations; a reading & protest which took place internationally on the night of Trump’s inauguration
Reading: Word Night @ Psychic City
January 6, 2017 @ Psychic City, Montreal QC @ 8pm
Readings with Jay Ritchie, James Gendron, Stacey Tran, Andrew Jamieson, and others
Organizer & Host: Surani & Laporte BookThug launch w/The Centre for Expanded Poetics
December 1, 2016 @ Drawn & Quarterly Bookstore, Montreal QC @ 7-9pm
Concordia’s CEP hosts a book launch for Moez Surani’s Operations & Mat Laporte’s RATS NEST + Q&A
Readings by Moez Surani, Mat Laporte, Jes Dolan; Q&A led by Jessica Bebenek
Interviewing Giller Prize Nominee Zoe Whittal at Drawn & Quarterly
Reading + Q&A: Zoe Whittal launches The Best Kind of People
November 4, 2016 @ Drawn & Quarterly Bookstore, Montreal QC @ 7-9pm
Readings by Jessica Bebenek, Jonathan Garfinkel, Zoe Whittal + Q&A between Whittal & Bebenek
Host: Bloody Chamber Readings: Maggie Monologues MTL Launch
November 2, 2016 @ my kitchen, Montreal QC @ 7-9pm
The innaugural Bloody Chamber Reading, launching the chapbook Maggie Monologues by Suzanna Derewicz (Words on Pages, 2016) in my bloody red kitchen
Readings by Jessica Bebenek, Ali Pinkney, Tanis Franco, Eileen Holowka, Susanna Derewicz
Organizer: Vallum Pop-up Shop #2
September 10, 2016 @ Chez Boris, Montreal QC @ 2-7pm
To raise awareness about Vallum magazine & ‘Poetry for Our Future!’ not-for-profit workshop program
Featuring personalized poems by Jake Byrne, Greg Santos, Jessica Moore, and David McGimpsey
Light Reading No. 5
Reading: Light Reading no. 5
August 22, 2016 @ The Attic, Toronto, ON. 8:30 pm
Reading w/Ashley Opheim, Andre Babyn, Rudapriya Rathore
Public Talk: General Audience #8: Garbage
July 23, 2016 @ Rocket Science Room, Montreal, QC. 7 pm
“Small Changes, Big Impact: Living Waste Free”
Living in our throw-away culture which idealizes ease and wastefulness, it can be difficult to see how we can make a dent in our ever-expanding landfills. After years of exasperation, I made the switch to living a ‘waste-free’ lifestyle and learned that, with a little planning, it’s possible to live without a garbage can! In my talk, I’ll show you how you can make tiny changes in your life to make a big impact in reducing the daily waste you send to the landfill.
This event was completely waste-free
Reading: A Night of Readings x Metatron
May 28, 2016 @ ‘8-11’ (233 Spadina), Toronto, ON. 8 pm
Reading w/Lena Suksi, Ashley Opheim, Adam Zachary, Lena Suksi, Arielle Gavin, Alex McGill, Jay Winston Ritche, Rebecca Dawe, Jessica D’Angelo
Poet on-duty: Vallum Pop-up Shop
May 7, 2016 @ Chez Boris, Montreal QC @ 3-8pm
To raise awareness about Vallum magazine & ‘Poetry for Our Future!’ not-for-profit workshop program
Writing personalized poems by donations w/Jeramy Dodds, Linda Besner, and Jay Ritchie
Reading: Metatron’s Greenhouse Reading
April 7, 2016 @ Concordia Greenhouse (1455 de Maisonneuve O), Montreal, QC. 5-7 pm
Reading w/Eli Lynch, Mia Francesca, Daphne B, Loni Jeffs, Mick Hennessy, Emilie Lafleur, Melanie Power, Karissa Larocque, Tara McGowan-Ross
Reading: Too Earnest
April 17, 2016 @ The Brass Door Pub (2171 Crescent), Montreal. 7 pm
Reading w/Jessica Dolan, David Flemming, Tanis Franco, Eileen Mary Holowka, Ken Hunt, Tessa Liem, Madelaine Caritas Longman, Natascha Simard
Activism: Cry-in for the Survivors in the Jian Gomeshi Trial
March 31, 2016 @ Phillip’s Square (Montreal, QC), 4-6 pm
Coordinated this public demonstration with Tessa Liem, Karissa LaRocque, Ashley Opheim, Eileen Holowka, Cherie Pyne
See pictures and more on social media #CryingForSurvivors
Inspired by the cry-in honouring the life of artist Ana Mendieta
Reading: Dis’Place/d Poetics
for ‘The Poetics of Place: Performing Selves in and Beyond Cities’, Universite de Montreal’s English Graduate Conference
March 11, 2016 @ Drawn & Quarterly (211 Bernard O), Montreal. 7 pm
Reading w/current & former students of Gail Scott, and keynote Jennifer Scappettone
Reading: Resonance Reading Series
February 2, 2016 @ Resonance Cafe (5175A Avenue du Parc), Montreal. 9 pm
Reading w/Brian Campbell, Jon Paul Fiorentino, Jessica Moore, Talya Rubin
Reading: Tree Readings Series
Nov. 10, 2015 @ Black Squirrel Books, 1073 Bank St. Ottawa, ON. 8:00pm
Reading w/Damian Rogers
Reading: Lit POP Reading Series
Sept. 27, 2015 @ The Brass Door Pub, 2171 Crescent, Montreal. 8:30pm
Reading w/Lauren Jean Lawlor, Aneka Smith, Diandre Prendimano, Jacob Spector, & Katia Grubisic
Reading: CPRG in the Studio
June 23, 2015 @ 10 Heintzman, Toronto. 7:30pm
Reading w/Matt Laporte & Concetta Principe
Reading: Art Bar Reading Series
June 9, 2015 @ The Black Swan Tavern, Toronto. 8pm
Reading: outrageous Reading Series
Feb. 23, 2015 @ The Central, Toronto. 8pm
Reading: Pivot Readings at Press Club
March 25, 2015 @ Press Club: 850 Dundas St. W, Toronto. 8pm
Reading: Launch of Kettle Song chapbook
July 22, 2014 @ Templeton’s: 319 Augusta Ave, Toronto. 8pm
Reading: Launch of Little Brother No. 4
June 24, 2014 @ June Records: 622 College St, Toronto. 8pm
Grow & Grow @ Toronto Indie Arts Market
May 25, 2014 @ The Gladstone, 1214 Queen St. W, Toronto. 10:30am-4:30pm
Grow & Grow @ Toronto Indie Arts Market
December 14, 2013 @ The Gladstone, 1214 Queen St. W, Toronto. 10:30am-4:30pm
Grow & Grow @ OCAD Book Arts Fair
Nov. 30, 2013 @ The Great Hall, OCAD, 100 McCaul St., Toronto. 10:00am-5:00pm
Grow & Grow @ Meet the Presses: Indie Literary Market
Nov. 16, 2013 @ Tranzac, 292 Brunswick Ave, Toronto. 12:00pm-4:30pm
Grow & Grow @ CanZine
Oct, 20, 2013 @ 918 Bathurst Centre, 1:00-7:00pm
Grow & Grow @ Ottawa Small Press Fair
Oct. 12, 2013
Pre-fair reading on Oct. 11, 2013
Grow & Grow Fall Season Launch
Sept. 26, 2013 @ The Ossington, 61 Ossington Ave. 8pm
Reading: Art Bar Reading Series
May 21, 2013 @ Q Space, Toronto. 8pm
Reading: Emerging Writers Reading Series
Apr. 9, 2013 @ Duffy’s Tavern, Toronto. 8pm
Reading: Rochdale Rhymes & Readings
Nov. 29, 2012 @ Regal Beagle Pub, Toronto. 8pm
Reading: Underdog Poet’s Academy
Oct. 28, 2012 @ The Central, Toronto. 7:30pm
Reading: Society of the Spoken Word
Sept. 25, 2012 @ Second Cup, 74 Dunlop St. E., Barrie. 9-11pm
Reading: Livewords
Sept. 6, 2012 @ The Black Swan Tavern, Toronto. 8pm
Reading: Hot Sauced Words
Aug. 16, 2012 @ The Black Swan Tavern, Toronto. 8pm
Reading & launch for I, Family: Art Bar Reading Series
May 8, 2012 @ Pauper’s Pub, Toronto. 8pm