The Blue Metropolis Foundation is a non-profit organization that hosts an annual literary festival of international calibre and provides a variety of educational and social programs throughout the year, both in classrooms and online. These initiatives use reading and writing as therapeutic tools to promote academic perseverance and to combat poverty and social isolation. The foundation‘s flagship event, the Blue Metropolis International Literary Festival, is one of the largest multilingual literary gatherings in North America, attracting writers from Quebec, Canada, and around the world each year. In this interview, we speak with Louise Ann Maziak, Chair of the Board of the Blue Metropolis Foundation and Honorary President of the foundation‘s fundraising event, The Word for a Laugh. Louise shares her insights into the foundation‘s mission, her journey and passion for literature, and the impact of their programs on the community.
Describe the non-profit organization in a few sentences.
The Blue Metropolis Foundation produces an annual literary festival of international calibre and offers a wide range of educational and social programs year-round, both in classrooms and online. These programs use reading and writing as therapeutic tools to encourage academic perseverance, and to fight poverty and social isolation.
What problem does it aim to solve?
I am not certain that we are so presumptuous to think that we will solve societal problems. However, Blue Metropolis does its very best every year to bring people from different cultures together to share in the pleasures of reading and writing, encouraging greater creativity and enabling deeper intercultural understanding.
The Blue Metropolis International Literary Festival is one of the largest multilingual literary events in North America. Each year, writers from Quebec, Canada and around the world converge on Montreal for a few days in late April. Festival participants are treated to live interviews, roundtable discussions, public readings, debates, master classes, reading, and writing workshops. Every year the Festival is structured around several strong themes that bear testimony to a keen social awareness and to a passion for literature in all its richness.
When did you join it?
November 2011 as board member and became Chair on April 19, 2021
What made you want to get involved?
I have always loved to read, and the Blue Metropolis International Literary Festival allows you to share that passion, meet world-class authors and hear them read from their own work, as well as have incredible conversations with other writers. Our youth programs allow us to introduce this interest to future generations.
What was the situation like when you started?
Blue Metropolis was already an established literary non-profit when I joined, but it was going through growing pains and some financial challenges 15 years ago. With the arrival of new CEO William St-Hilaire, working closely with the board, fundraising issues were addressed, and relationships were developed with new sponsors and private donors. Fortunately, these efforts put Blue Metropolis Foundation back on its feet with no deficits for over 10 years.
How has it changed since?
The Festival has become more and more focused on social issues such as ecology, social justice, LGBTQ+ rights, and inclusion and diversity, as well as the fight against racism through the prism of literature. We find that corporate sponsors, as well as foundations, find it easier to support specific, well-defined causes.
What more needs to be done?
Fundraising to support programming is key. One suggestion that all non-profits would appreciate is a change to government legislation whereby the amount of the minimum annual capital distribution made by foundations, presently equivalent to 5% of their capital base, be increased.
How can our readers help?
They can support our school programs that are all offered free of charge by making a small (or big) donation on our website.
Where can we follow it?
PAY IT FORWARD: What is an awesome local charity that you love?
Besides Blue Metropolis, I have been involved with many great non-profits over the years. There are so many local community-based organisations with sensitive, intelligent personnel who are committed to making Montreal a better, more secure place for discussing ideas among different segments of our population. Since I can only pick one, I also sit on the board of the IRCM Fondation, so I will give them a shout-out. But I encourage everyone to think of the arts, education and scientific research, and donate whatever amount that they can afford. Every dollar counts!
