An award-winning poet and a leader in the local arts community has been named as New Westminster’s new literary ambassador.
Janet Kvammen has been appointed as the City of New Westminster’s new poet laureate, with her three-year term going until Dec. 31, 2027. Mayor Patrick Johnstone announced Kvammen’s appointment at the Jan. 27 city council meeting.
“Most of us probably know Janet. She's a local poet and a visual artist. She's vice president of the New West Artists and president and a founding board member of the Royal City Literary Arts Society,” he said. “The poet laureate, serves as a literary ambassador for the city, presenting readings at city events to reflect on the life of the city and the development of opportunities to encourage the wider community to participate and appreciate the literary arts.”
The city said the poet laureate serves as a “literary ambassador” in New Westminster, advocating for literary and the literary arts and helping to raise awareness of poetry, language and the arts in the everyday consciousness of residents. The poet laureate also seeks to develop engagement opportunities that enrich the lives of residents and visitors.
Kvammen becomes the City of New Westminster’s sixth poet laureate. Other poet laureates have included: Edna Anderson (1998); Don Benson (1999 to 2007); Candice James (2010 to 2016); Alan Hill (2017 to 2020); and Elliott Slinn (2021 to 2024). Anderson, Benson and James have been named poet laureate emeritus.
Kvammen was the recipient of the 2023 Bernie Legge Artist of the Year awarded by the New Westminster Chamber of Commerce.
“Janet has a passion and enthusiasm for, and deep and long-standing connection to the local literary arts community,” said the city’s website. “Through the course of her three-year term Janet will serve as a literary ambassador for the city, presenting readings at civic events reflecting on the life of the City and developing opportunities to engage the wider community to participate in and appreciate the literary arts.”
Kvammen said it’s an honour to be named New Westminster’s poet laureate.
“Since hearing the news, I have been rendered speechless – and if you know me, that’s saying a lot. A poet without words? It still hasn’t quite sunk in yet as it really did come as a surprise!” she said. “I’m feeling incredibly grateful and thankful. I am ‘standing on the shoulders of giants.’ It’s both delightfully marvellous and brilliantly terrifying. Thanks so much to the City of New Westminster and the previous poet laureates who have paved the way – they have made all such things possible. I could never fill their shoes, and I would never try.”
Janet Kvammen is the new Poet Laureate (2025-2027) for New Westminster. Janet will serve as a literary ambassador for the City, presenting readings at civic events and developing opportunities to engage the wider community in the literary arts. More: https://t.co/e6c62GZRe6 pic.twitter.com/2mq5yvPeqE
— City of New Westminster (@New_Westminster) February 7, 2025
Why did you apply for this position?
It would be both an extension and perfect accompaniment to the volunteer work that I have been undertaking with the Royal City Literary Arts Society these past 12 years.
So, based on that I decided to take the risk and apply. Believe me, I almost didn’t push that “send” button. It took some courage! It’s true there will always be better poets around every corner. Poetry is such a personal thing and that’s what makes it so unique and fabulous – there’s something out there for every taste and style. Isn’t that wonderful? I encourage everyone to take risks and see where this weird and wonderful world might take you.
Do you have any goals or initiatives you’d like to pursue as poet laureate?
I think my passion and enthusiasm for poetry and the arts is known among those involved in the local scene. I see this as an extraordinary opportunity to be an ambassador for the poetry community. I feel that is the main role and objective of a poet laureate – to be a poetry ambassador and champion for the arts. That would be my own personal mission as the official “PoLo” here in the city of my birth. I have proposed a few ideas in the application but I’m thinking of this as a work in progress.
I can’t seem to write a poem without mentioning the sky, the river, the trees or birds. I would fit quite nicely under the category of a nature or eco-poet, not that I really care for labels. One of my favourite poets is Mary Oliver. I love free verse but in recent years I have discovered my love for the forms of glosa and haiku. I would love to host some poetry walks, and nature-focused initiatives as well as ekphrastic poetry projects.
I have a passion for the Pattullo Bridge and have created an art series with multiple works. I have plans to do another collaborative poem with the Pattullo Bridge art as the prompt. Stay tuned for National Poetry Month in April!
Why is poetry important?
Poetry is a way of life, a unique way of perceiving the world. It gives us words when there are no words. Poetry demands that you slow down, and stop, if only for a few moments. It has the powerful ability to stir our soul. It fosters connection and community. It ignites emotion and passion. In these troubled times, the arts have been hit hard. They are needed now more than ever. A world without art would be a sad and empty void, and quite incomprehensible.
Poets and artists are a vital component to our shared humanity. “Hope isn’t always a burning bright flame. Sometimes it’s a fragile flicker in the darkness.” Can we, in our own small ways, bring some light to this broken world? Definitely. It does feel like a daunting task. All I can do is try. That’s all any of us can do. Together we are stronger. Artists need to support one another.
Anything else?
Poetry needs to be accessible and unpretentious. The best is when someone stumbles across a reading event such as Poetry in the Park, maybe they are attending a poetry event for the very first time, and they like it. Maybe they even LOVE it! And maybe they visit one of our fabulous local indie bookstores and purchase a volume of poetry or visit the poetry section at our local New West public library. Maybe they are inspired to start writing themselves …and soon enough they are up at the open mic! When this happens, all I can say is “Mission accomplished”. I love to encourage budding writers of all ages.
I read my own poetry for the first time at the inaugural summer of Poetry in the Park many moons ago, encouraged by Candice James, poet laureate emerita. It was two very short poems, but I did it! Who knew I would spend the next 10-plus years fully engaged on the local arts scene – supporting, encouraging, and promoting – both writers and artists.
I would like to invite everyone to Poetry in the Park this July, every Wednesday evening at the Queen’s Park bandshell. I also encourage writers to submit their poems and stories to the Write On! Contest.
How about a poem?
Kvammen shared a short poem, written after a lovely walk along the river, that conveys some of her thoughts on taking on her new role:
On Becoming
Weaving into the river’s winter glow,
I hold myself up against
the beaming January sun.
To see beyond the surface,
to honour and to reflect
on those that have come before.
Their radiant light shines through.
I carry this forward, to find my place within it all.
On my walk to becoming a poet laureate,
the air is crisp and bright.
On this, an unexpected day.
