The City of Victoria and the Greater Victoria Public Library are pleased to announce Eva Haas as Victoria’s new Youth Poet Laureate. Selected by a nomination and peer evaluation process, Eva will serve in this honorary position that celebrates the contributions of literature and poetry in the capital city until April 2025. Due to personal circumstances, Irena Datcu-Romano was unable to continue in the role of Youth Poet Laureate and we wish them well.
Eva grew up in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador on traditional Beothuk and Mi'kmaq territories. Eva received the Arts and Letters Award from the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador three times and is now going into third year Writing and History at the University of Victoria, specializing in the genres of fiction and poetry.
In 2021, Eva was the poetry winner of This Side of West's Prose & Poetry Competition and in 2023 placed second in the On the Verge competition for prose.
The Youth Poet Laureate will produce new work and organize a community poetry event each year. Along with sharing their own literary talents with the community, they will also find ways to collaborate with and celebrate other local poets.
Eva’s first poetry reading will be at City Hall at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 8. Join Eva in-person or online.
To learn more visit the Poet Laureate page.