Acclaimed PEI artist Tanya Davis named 2026 Hideout writer-in-residence

Acclaimed Prince Edward Island writer, performer, and interdisciplinary artist Tanya Davis has been named the 2026 writer-in-residence at The Hideout. Now in its seventh year, the Hideout Residencies welcome writers, artists, and self-care practitioners from across Canada and internationally to PEI’s south shore each spring and fall. The Hideout writer-in-residence program invites a prominent Canadian writer to visit the Island each year to engage in new creative work. The 2025 Hideout writer-in-residence was Ontario novelist Christine Higdon.

Davis has been a powerful force in the Canadian and East Coast art scenes for the past two decades, as both an innovative poet and admired spoken word performer, musician, and playwright. Most recently, Davis served as the Poet Laureate of Prince Edward and has previously served as Poet Laureate for the City of Halifax. Tanya currently lives in rural Epekwitk (Prince Edward Island), where she continues to create for the stage, the page, the stereo and the screen.

“We’re over the moon to welcome Tanya Davis as The Hideout’s third writer-in-residence,” says Joshua Lewis, co-owner of The Hideout. “We’ve been huge fans of Tanya’s creative power and collaborative approach to art-making for some time. As an advocate for artists and a commitment to risk-taking, Tanya has always been a strong ambassador for the arts.”

Davis will spend a week at The Hideout later this spring, continuing work on a range of new creative projects. Learn more about The Hideout’s writer-in-residence program here.

 Tanya Davis photo credit: Story Thorburn