The Decade in Arts & Culture
As the 2010s come to close, we look back at a mix of your favourite stories and speakers. From Leonard Cohen’s darker legacy to art’s obsession with dead young women, here are the ideas, people, and conversations that helped define Canada
The Darker Side of Leonard Cohen
BY MYRA BLOOM
How the myth of the male genius shields our cultural heroes from scrutiny
Inside the Toronto Star’s Bold Plan to Save Itself
BY BRETT POPPLEWELL
Can Canada’s most storied daily convince readers that its brand of journalism is worth paying for?
The Age of Creativity
BY EMILY URQUHART
My father is a remarkable painter. And he’s done some of his best work in his eighties
How TIFF Helped Saved my Life
BY DANIEL SCOTT TYSDAL
I struggle with depression and suicidal thoughts. Movies provide comfort, human contact, and empathy
Multiculturalism Is Not the Real Story of Canada
BY TAJJA ISEN
Two new novels explore what it means to be Black in a country that prides itself on tolerance
Creativity Is a Waste of Time
BY JOEL FAFLAK
We should teach students not to fear failure, curiosity, and exploration
How Indigenous Filmmakers Are Changing Contemporary Cinema
BY ALEXANDER TESAR
For decades, Indigenous people have been calling for better representation on the big screen—and, in the process, making world class movies
The Rising Tide of Educated Aliteracy
BY ALEX GOOD
In the age of information overload, discussing books you haven’t read has become a badge of honour—and, for some, a profession
Inside the All-Consuming World of Paw Patrol
BY JASON MCBRIDE
How a made-in-Toronto cartoon about superhero puppies became a worldwide hit
Madeleine L’Engle Taught Me the Universe Has Meaning
BY TARA HENLEY
The Wrinkle in Time author shaped my ideas on nearly everything, from family to illness
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I have been digging into the pages of The Walrus Summer Reading issue and remarking at all of the contributions from our former and current Fellows. It reminds me that every issue of The Walrus is a result of a culmination of efforts (including lengthy fact-checking) from the editorial team, the emerging journalists they train, and the generous supporters who make all of this happen.Through The Walrus Editorial Fellowship Program, we have the privilege of training the next generation of professionals who are passionate about the integrity of journalism. In the Summer Reading issue, 2021 Cannonbury Fellow Connor Garel wrote a piece on Frankie Perez and the art of breaking. Tajja Isen contributed an excerpt from her first book, Some of my Best Friends. Isen, who also began her career at The Walrus as a Cannonbury Fellow, is currently Editor-in-Chief at Catapult magazine.
Our 2022 Chawkers Fellow, Mashal Butt, was instrumental in making sure we got the facts straight in our Summer Reading issue, having fact-checked six features, including Sarah Totton’s short story “The Click.” And, you can look forward to a cover story on housing affordability by our 2022 Justice Fund Writer in Residence, JS Rutgers. (Rutgers is now a climate reporter for The Narwhal.)
Donations of any amount (great or small) mean that we can keep on training future journalists in the rigorous practice of fact-checking and editing. With your support, we can continue to keep The Walrus available to readers everywhere as well as help foster the next generation of reporters, copy-editors, fact-checkers, and editors.
With gratitude,
Jennifer Hollett
Executive Director, The Walrus
