Nikki Celis

Biography

Nikki Celis (aka Nikki Anchovy) is an award-nominated Bicolano writer, critic, and radio host based in Calgary and Montreal. He is the writer and co-producer of ANG MERKADO, a claymation short film directed by NOFAC3, based on his published semi-fictional memoir "The Market." His background in journalism informs his approach to multimedia storytelling. From editorials and interviews to memoirs and screenplays published in ISSAY!, VICE, the Calgary Herald, Complex, and more, his work focuses on peripheries—examining the intersections of culture, art, and identity among Filipinos and other BIPOC diasporas. As a visual and literary storyteller, he explores themes of diaspora, subculture, and resistance through photo essays, audio stories, and visual media. Whether amplifying underserved narratives or revealing the multiplicity of Filipino identity, his work blends critical analysis with deeply personal perspectives. He also hosts The SQUAT Show—sharing Filipino and Southeast Asian hardcore, punk, and alternative music every month on CKUT 90.3 FM in Montreal, as well as SQUAT PRESENTS: NO WEIGHTS on N10.AS. Recently, an early iteration of his photo series Sorsogon: Homecoming was featured in Likhaan, a Filipinx arts and culture festival, as part of a group exhibition in Calgary. The series reframes probinsyano identity—often dismissed by big-city Manileños—and highlights "Oragon", a Central Bikol term that embodies the dignity of the Bicolano people.