Overview
Homer Appreciation Day: Recent Scholarship and Creative Engagement with Living Epic
University of Waterloo | Friday, April 24, 2026 | Hybrid Event
The Waterloo Institute for Hellenistic Studies (WIHS) is pleased to announce, in co-operation with the UW Department of Classical Studies, the creative journal Epic Threads, and the DRAGEN Lab at St. Jerome’s University a full day dedicated to the appreciation of Homer’s narrative and poetic gift through cutting-edge scholarship and creative engagement.
As a first of its kind, this event will bring together scholars, storytellers, and students from North America, Europe, and Australia for a dynamic exploration of the Homeric epics across disciplines and modes of engagement.
Academic papers will be dedicated to the production of early epic, with particular attention to how Homer reshaped pre-existing narratives and responded to the experience of far-travelled sailors. Likewise of interest will be the reception of Homeric poetry in later times, especially the Hellenistic period. Expect performances by the voices behind Trojan War: the Podcast and Odyssey: the Podcast as well as Homer and the School of Rhapsodes.
A practical unit will stimulate the reimagining of Homeric scenes and a panel discussion ‘On Being a 21st-Century Homeric Bard’. Moreover, prizes totalling $1,000 (CAD) will be given out to the best student performances of the day and the most appealing submissions to Epic Threads 2, 2026.
The event is open to all, free to attend, and will include lunch and refreshments throughout the day for those joining us in person, offering an excellent opportunity for conversation, collaboration, and community-building across academic and creative worlds.
Whether you are a scholar of antiquity, a creative writer, a student, or simply curious about why Homer still matters, Homer Appreciation Day invites you to join a vibrant, interdisciplinary celebration of the ancient epic tradition.
Access and Location
Format: Hybrid (in-person and online participation). Portions of the day will be accessible via Zoom.
Venue: DRAGEN Lab, St. Jerome’s University (University of Waterloo).
RSVP details and the full program schedule will soon be released on this website.
Check back: Updates, RSVP instructions, and the final schedule will be posted on the WIHS Events page as we get closer to the date.
Program Schedule
A detailed program schedule will be released shortly.
Updates will be posted on this page as the event program is confirmed. We encourage interested participants to check back regularly.
Hosts
- Dr. Altay Coşkun, Professor Classical Studies, Director of the Waterloo Institute for Hellenistic Studies, editor of the Unheard Voices of the Past and academic advisor to Epic Threads.
- Dr. Andrew Faulkner, Professor and Chair of Classical Studies at Waterloo, Senior Editor of Phoenix, and author of Homeric Hymn to Aphrodite (2008).
- Ms. Madelynne Parish, BA Hon. Cand. in Physics & Astronomy with a Minor in Classical Studies and co-editor of Epic Threads.
Confirmed Contributors
- Dr. Eva Anagnostou-Laoutides, Associate Professor of Classical Studies at Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia, Vice-President of the Australian Numismatic Society.
- Dr. Dan Attrell, Lecturer in Medieval Studies at Waterloo, alias The Modern Hermeticist.
- Dr. Joel Christensen, Professor of Classics at CUNY graduate center, author of The Many-Minded Man: the Odyssey, Psychology, and the Therapy of Epic (2020) and the Homer-centred Classics blog SENTENTIAE ANTIQUAE – ΕΥΔΟΞΑ ΑΓΝΩΣΤΑ ΚΑΤΑΓΕΛΑΣΤΑ.
- Dr. Phil de Souza, Associate Professor of Classics at University College, Dublin, author of Seafaring and Civilization (2001) and Piracy in the Graeco-Roman World (1999).
- Dr. Bridget Martin, Lecturer of Classics at University College, Dublin.
- Dr. Naomi Neufeld Folkes, lecturer in Classical Studies at McMaster University and the University of Waterloo.
- Dr. Ivana Petrovič, Professor of Classics at the University of Virginia, author of The Materiality of Texts (2018) and Ancient Greek Literary Epigram (2019).
- Rabbi Dr. Ben Scolnic, leader of the Beth Sholom Temple, Hamden, CT, Adjunct Professor at Southern Connecticut State University, co-host of the Seleukid Lecture Series and the main voice behind the Unheard Voices of the Past, including the series Homer and the School of Rhapsodes.
- Mr. Jeff Wright, BA Waterloo, professional storyteller based in Ottawa and the prize-winner creator of Trojan War: the Podcast and Odyssey: the Podcast.
- Dr. Karol Zieliński, Professor of Classics at Wroclaw University, Poland, author of The Iliad and the oral epic tradition (2023).
RSVP
RSVP details will be posted shortly. Please check this page again for the registration link and Zoom access information.
If you are planning to attend in person, an RSVP will help us plan seating and catering (lunch and refreshments will be provided).