Sneha Kanta will spend two weeks as UBCO’s Woodhaven Artist in Residence. Along with working on her creative writing she is also presenting a workshop on July 19.
What: Collaborative writing workshop
Who: Author Sneha Subramanian Kanta
When: Saturday, July 19 from 10 am to 12:30 pm
Where: Woodhaven Eco Culture Centre, 939 Raymer Ave., Kelowna
Internationally acclaimed writer Sneha Subramanian Kanta is UBC Okanagan’s 2025 Woodhaven Artist in Residence. Kanta will spend two weeks at Woodhaven, where she will work on her creative writing practice, engage with the community and offer an in-person workshop for budding writers and poets.
UBCO’s Woodhaven Artist in Residence Program, sponsored by the Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies (FCCS), provides a paid residency opportunity for a diverse variety of visiting artists, including writers, visual artists, digital media artists and performance artists.
Born in Mumbai and residing in Greater Toronto, Kanta is an academic with more than 15 years of international teaching experience. She is the author of five chapbooks, including Ancestral–Wing and Ghost Tracks.
During her residency in Kelowna, Kanta is offering a free creative writing workshop for writers with all levels of experience. The workshop will begin with a brief discussion of her academic research in postcolonial ecocriticism and how Kanta outlines those in her work. Her goal is that the workshop will foster new modes of thought through imaginative literature.
“When we turn our attention to ecology, what do we gather? In the Anthropocene, we’re facing a climate crisis. How can we bring attention to our immediate landscapes? In what way does writing about the natural world inform our writing practice?” she asks. “At the workshop, we will frame answers to these questions through ecopoetics.”
A residency like Woodhaven offers a unique space for artists to grow, drawing inspiration from the property’s surrounding environment and the local community, explains Jodey Castricano, FCCS Associate Dean of Research and Graduate Studies.
“The committee had a tough decision this year, with so many strong applications, but we’re thrilled to welcome a writer whose deep engagement with ecocriticism and ecopoetry aligns so well with Woodhaven’s commitment to social, cultural and environmental sustainability,” says Castricano. “We’re excited not only for how this time will shape her work, but also for the opportunity it creates for local writers to learn from her perspective and expand their own practices.”
Space in the workshop is limited to 20. For more information about the residency or to register for the workshop, visit: fccs.ok.ubc.ca/artist-in-residence
