About the Project
About the Sculpture
The York Poetry Apartment sculpture is designed, fabricated, and maintained by Ashley Feldman, with help from Dave Hind. It’s built to look like a tiny apartment building. In the windows, you can read excerpts from the current season’s poem and see some of the season’s artwork.
About the poetry & artwork
Lishai Peel writes the poems based on interviews with local businesses and individuals, and Sara Mann makes the images and zines. You can suggest topics for the next season’s poem by filling out this form!
About the artists
All of the creators of the York Poetry Apartment are writer-artist-parents living in Hamilton.
Lishai Peel has an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Guelph and was Hamilton’s inaugural Poet in Place from 2024-2026. She has performed as a spoken word artist in over 300 venues across Canada.
Sara Mann has a BA in English and an MAT in Teaching from Brown University in Rhode Island and is working toward a diploma in Fine Art & Theory from DVSA. She taught high school English in Massachusetts for ten years before moving to Hamilton with her family in 2022.
Ashley Feldman has a BA in Fine Art and English from the University of Guelph and was one of the founding members of Casino Artspace. She has worked in the film and television industry as a set designer, set decorator, and prop master and has curated art shows in Hamilton.
FAQs
Who is this For?
1
Everyone in Hamilton! You are invited to participate by offering poem topics, images, or feedback to be used for the next season’s display.
Where is the sculpture?
And how can I get a copy of the zine?
2
The sculpture will be installed in the butterfly garden at the corner of York Boulevard and James St. North, in Downtown Hamilton, this coming September 2026.
Free copies of the zines will be available at the Hamilton Farmers’ Market and the Hamilton Public Library’s Central Branch starting in September 2026, while supplies last. Both locations are right across York Boulevard from the sculpture.
What’s the point of this Project?
3
It’s just another way to connect with each other and this part of the city. We hope it adds some colour to your day.
Are there any other ways to participate?
4
Yes! Stay tuned for some related poetry and art-making workshops, to be scheduled in the 2026-2027 year.
Behind-the-Scenes Photos
