Writer/designer/creative director, Gavin Barrett co-founded the idea consultancy and brand advertising agency barrettandwelsh with Mike Welsh in 2003. In pursuit of big ideas, Gavin has: nibbled on pigs' ears (not on a live pig at the time); gone elephant-back in the Thai jungle; gambled in a Macau casino. His commercials have been shot by: Deepa Mehta, David Carson and Louis Ng. His poems: can be found in Understan, his new book (Mawenzi House, 2020), and in Penguin’s anthology of 14 contemporary Indian poets, Reasons for Belonging. His ads: have run in 35 countries. In the course of his travels he has collected a BA (econ.), an MA (eng. lit), and 200+ awards for his work. He is tolerated, occasionally, by his wife, 2 adult daughters and his scruffy cocker spaniel poodle. He lives in Toronto where he founded and co-curates The Tartan Turban Secret Readings, a literary reading series that promotes minority voices in Canadian literature. He cannot: sing.