Before it gets too far in the past, we want to express our immense gratitude to all the poets, storytellers, musicians, and volunteers who made #VSFestival18 the beautiful thing that it was. And thank you also to all the various venues’ staff, and the people who came out to the shows, and … Continued
Below is a web version of page 1 of our #VSFestival18 program. Click on it so that you can move around in it. Navigation ease may vary according to your device. Print versions of this program will be available as soon as Monday, April 16 at Van Poetry Slam at … Continued
Below is a web version of page 2 of our #VSFestival18 program. Click on it so that you can move around in it. Navigation ease may vary according to your device. Print versions of this program will be available as soon as Monday, April 16 at Van Poetry Slam at … Continued
A few months back, a dynamic show called Hot Brown Honey stopped on tour here in Vancouver. (If you should ever get the chance to attend, by all means, take it.) One of the fundamental principles of the production is a raucous chant: “The revolution cannot happen without childcare!” The Verses Festival team … Continued
Last day of winter has us looking forward to spring … #VSfestival18 is just a month away and have we got a line-up for you! Check out below some of the artists who will be bringing their work to Verses Festival of Words stages this year. We had help this year from … Continued
The first sell out of Verses Festival of Words 2018 is confirmed! The 12:30 PM Hullabaloo All Star Slam on April 20th sold out more than six weeks in advance. So we’re offering a 9:30 AM showing as well!!! But you have to move fast: we announced the AM show … Continued
How can I compete in the Canadian Individual Poetry Slam (C.I.P.S.)? Locate your nearest poetry slam venue (within Canada of course), and talk to their slammaster. Most slams will be holding a big playoff, or grand slam, to determine their venue representative. You can also apply for a spot in … Continued
“No sweeter sound than justice through poetry!” – Pat Storm One of the more ubiquitous phrases you hear at most national individual poetry slam competitions these days is “Storm Poet.” But what does that term refer to? Time for multiple choice! A) A reference to “storming the barricades” of poetry … Continued
The co-ordinated team effort to bring together Verses Festival of Words is a loving orchestration of grand proportion. Plans must be assessed months out only to be discarded in moments when it becomes clear they will no longer serve. Aims stated years ago can bear fruit at unexpected times. And … Continued
CIPS 2018 VENUE REGISTRATION IS OFFICIALLY OPEN!! If you are the director of a SpoCan-registered poetry slam in Canada, you can guarantee your series rep their spot in the 8th Canadian Individual Poetry Slam if you register your venue before March 5th. EXTENDED to TUESDAY, MARCH 6th at 9 pm PST!! To pay the registration fee … Continued
Sponsors, we invite you to be part of Verses Festival of Words 2018! Whether you can fuel the fire that is #vs18 with financial or in-kind donations, please contact our 2018 Sponsorship Coordinator Duncan Parizeau at VersesSponsorship@gmail.com for more information. Or check out our guide for sponsors here: http://bit.ly/2BiIUHR Volunteers, If you would … Continued
We need a Sponsorship Coordinator for the 2018 Verses Festival of Words. Is it you? Find out details for the position, and how to apply here. This is a volunteer position with a small honorarium attached. Contact Managing Director Pamela Bentley at pamelajoanbentley@gmail.com with any questions. Deadline to apply is … Continued
We are now looking for a Volunteer Coordinator for the 2018 Verses Festival of Words. This is a volunteer position with an honorarium for the person who joins us in this important role. Without volunteers, there would be no Verses, and without a Coordinator, volunteers — as much as they want … Continued
Do you want to be part of Verses 2018? Tell us more! The next Verses Festival of Words runs from April 19 – April 29, 2018. Canada’s largest alternative literary festival, Verses includes spoken word, storytelling, poetry, and music. We invite people interested in bringing their work to Verses 2018 to click … Continued
To our valued festival goers, Sadly, and despite best efforts by many involved in the organization and execution of the event, tonight’s The Body Is Not An Apology showcase will not feature ASL interpretation. We will instead have performed pieces being projected for the audience. We recognize this as … Continued
Our monthly youth poetry slam series continues in April but with an extra special bit of spice and hot sauce as we are also part of the Verses Festival of Words. Now that our playoffs are complete we’re going to have a fun slam for cash and prizes. We’ll also … Continued
The #VS17 Passes are still available! A festival pass gives you full access to all Verses Festival of Words events: Hullabaloo Youth Poetry Slam Competition – free at VPL Central Three Showcases: “Oceans to Sail” Showcase with Saul Williams and Guests Sounds Like Fire: Femme4Femme The Body Is Not An Apology Five … Continued
The #VS17 Early Bird Passes are now available! Save $15 (before April 10) on an Early Bird festival pass that gives you full access to all Verses Festival of Words events: Hullabaloo Youth Poetry Slam Competition – free at VPL Central Three Showcases (details coming soon — we’re not giving … Continued
Registration for Storm Poets (poets not representing a particular venue) opens Saturday, March 4 at noon PST. We are excited that you are coming to Vancouver to compete in the Canadian Individual Poetry Slam Championship!! CIPS occurs between April 26th and April 29th during the 2017 Verses Festival of Words. … Continued
CIPS VENUE REP REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED. Venue Rep Registration opens February 1, 2017, at noon PST and we can’t wait to find out who you’re sending to Vancouver to win the title of Canadian Individual Poetry Slam champion!! If you are the host, or Slam Master of a Canadian … Continued
Verses Festival of Words, Canada’s largest alternative literary festival, is back for another fabulous year! In 2017, Verses takes place from April 20th – 30th. The festival includes spoken word, storytelling, poetry, and music. We invite people interested in featuring at Verses 2017 to fill out the Artist Application Form below … Continued
***ASL Interpreter update for the We Believe You Showcase and Open Mic: Sadly, due to unavoidable circumstances this event will no longer feature ASL interpretation. However there will still be interpretation at both Talk the Talk events as well as There Be Monsters. Apologies for any inconvenience or accessibility issues … Continued
Want to come see all of the events at Verses Festival of Words for cheap? Grab a festival pass! It’s your all access ticket to every festival event (except for Masterclasses.) Come see the gamut of greatness being showcased by Canada’s largest alternative literary festival. The full schedule is available … Continued
Hidden in the mists of the coastal city of Vancouver, between UBC Bus Loop and Boundary Road, there are 10 posters for the upcoming Verses Festival of Words displaying proudly in Translink bus shelters. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to take a photo with each of … Continued
In spoken word, be it storytelling or poetry, performers often touch on topics that may be upsetting or challenging to the listener. It is important to us at Verses Festival of Words that we not only take care of the performers who share those difficult stories, but also our audiences. … Continued
Attention poets competing in #CIPS2016 at #vs16. This year, Verses Festival of Words is providing more professional development opportunities than ever before with five incredible masterclasses from Ivan Coyote, Richard Wagamese, RC Weslowski, Ian Keteku, and Dave Morris. Each of these artists and teachers were selected because of their ability … Continued
The competitors for the 2016 Canadian Individual Poetry Slam are in, and it’s looking like it’s going to be an incredible year! Below in alphabetical order are the names of the 40 poets who will be competing for the title of Canadian Individual Poetry Slam Champion! Best of luck to … Continued
Canadian Individual Poetry Slam (CIPS) Storm Poet Registration Opens TOMORROW (MARCH 1st NOON PST): If you would like to compete in CIPS but are not representing a specific venue or community we applaud your intrepidity and welcome you to the competition. Registration for Storm Poets begins March 1st at noon … Continued
Venue Rep Registration opens today and we can’t wait to find out who you’re sending to Vancouver to win the title of Canadian Individual Poetry Slam Champion! If you are the host, or Slam-Master of a Canadian poetry slam and are on the list of registered SpoCan venues, you are … Continued
Great news! Verses Festival of Words is back for another exciting year! All parties interested in featuring in the 2016 Verses Festival of Words taking place from April 21st to May 1st in Vancouver should fill out the following application form. All artists wishing to be considered should submit the … Continued
Verses Festival of Words would like to extend an apology to those who were adversely affected by last night’s late event at Café Deux Soleils. While we are in full support of people feeling empowered enough to display their bodies in whatever way they feel comfortable, and in no way … Continued
40 of the best poetry slammers from across Canada are converging on Vancouver to participate in the Canadian Individual Poetry Slam at Verses. Many of these are local poetry slam champions, other are poets who are storming the competition through open sign-up. This bout draw shows who they will face … Continued
Hello festival goers, Our next festival is right around the corner and we are incredibly excited to let you in on all of the wonderful things to come in Verses 2015. One area which has remained a main focus for us, as well as a great learning experience from year … Continued
The 2014 Verses Festival of Words wrapped just two months ago and the festival team is already hard at work planning for 2015. Last year’s festival was the most successful yet with over 80 artists performing at over 30 events. The last three days were fully sold out, including over … Continued
By Maegan Thomas Verses Festival of Words is on now celebrating the transformative power of words: poetic, musical, comedic and all the genres in between and a few not yet invented. “I love that Verses…brings together so many different styles of poetry and such an array of voices and talents.” … Continued
The preliminary bouts are over and from the original field of 40 slam poets, 12 have advanced to the Finals, tonight at The Rio Theatre. The finalists competing to be the 2014 Canadian Individual Slam Champion will be: Andre Prefontaine Dia Davina Dana ID Matthews IF Sir Realist Liam Coady … Continued
Dear Verses Festival Goers (And Vancouver community members) If you have not yet seen the event posted, we would like to invite you to come out to Havana Theatre today at 3:00 pm to participate in a community conversation happening around the topic of physical and social accessibility within arts communities. … Continued
By: Maegan Thomas Verses Festival of Words is on April 5-12 on Commercial Drive, the heart – and funny bone – of Vancouver’s spoken word community. They ask the question for the ages What Rhymes with LOL? at at Havana Theatre April 8. Contributors to the recently launched Poetry Is … Continued
What a week this has been for the Verses Festival – and the party doesn’t officially start until Saturday! Everyone is talking about the festival and tickets are selling like crazy. In case you’ve missed any of the media articles, alerts, and pre-festival attention the events and the artists have … Continued
This article has only been up for 1 day, but we’ve already seen tickets sales take off – Thanks Georgia Straight!! The staff at the Georgia Straight have decided – and we definitely agree – that the Verses Festival of Words is their Arts Choice this week! So if you … Continued
Word is getting out about the Verses Festival! Vancouverscape has done an AMAZING writeup about the Verses, including show information and videos of some of the festivals brightest stars. (Although, really, everyone involved or attending the Verses Festival is a star – obviously). Click here to get your daily … Continued
Get ready to share this will everyone you know! In this latest interview, the incomparable d’bi young talks about art, activism and love. Click here to watch it! Want more d’bi? Better come to the Verses Festival and get your tickets to Sounds Like Fire and the Spoken Word Masterclass … Continued
Vancouver poet Al Mader is no stranger to Verses or the Van Slam family, in fact he is appearing in the “Shut the Front Door” show with a number of other awesome spoken word artists. We know how hard it is to wait until April, so you can get your … Continued
The good news keeps on coming! We are super excited to share another interview with Ivan Coyote who is part of the duo (with Rae Spoon) that makes up Gender Failure. You can read about it here! If you haven’t bought your tickets for Gender Failure, you can get them … Continued
One of our most highly anticipated shows – Gender Failure – has already been touring festivals for a little while, but Verses is happy to host the official book launch! The festival is only a month away, but if you can’t wait for that, you can click here to read … Continued
To get you prepped for the onslaught of artistic awesomeness that’s coming your way in April, we’re running a series highlighting our amazing performers. Because you are busy and important, we’ll keep it short. 100 words or less, (almost) everything you need to know. Name: Cheryl Maddalena Hails from: Boise, Idaho Best … Continued
Check out this great interview of Zaccheus Jackson with Grounded Magazine: “Through that act of attrition by getting up there and just saying those words I made myself accountable to my community. And so I don’t have a shadow of a doubt that spoken word and this community right here, … Continued
To get you prepped for the onslaught of artistic awesomeness that’s coming your way in April, we’re running a series highlighting our amazing performers. Because you are busy and important, we’ll keep it short. 100 words or less, (almost) everything you need to know. Name: Zaccheus Jackson Hails from: Vancouver, British Columbia … Continued
This year, we are kicking our advertising efforts up a notch with awesome bus shelter ads all around the city! In addition – we are holding a photo contest and the prizes are Verses tickets and Festival Passes!! There are 10 ads in total which will be up starting from … Continued
The moment we’ve all been waiting for is finally here! 8 days and over 80 poets – the BIGGEST Verses Festival of Words is coming to Vancouver April 5-12th with 34 events. Who’s going to be there, you ask? What kind of events are we talking about? CLICK HERE TO … Continued
So much going on in Festival land, it’s hard to keep up! A short and sweet recap here. Thanks, CJ!
Congratulations to all of our poets who performed last night, and particularly to the 2013 Van Slam team, Floyd, Erin Kirsh, Jillian Christmas, Duncan Shields, and Zaccheus Jackson. One of the strongest Van slam finals of all time. Here, read a recap. Thanks also to our brilliant feature Truth Is, … Continued
Hey look! People are talking about us! Inside Vancouver No Fun City The Drive Yelp Emily Carr Recruit
Check out this article on slam poetry by HUSH Magazine: Slam Poetry. Performance Poetry. Spoken Word. Upon hearing these words, you might think of the following: A room full of solemn, mime-like creatures dressed in black berets and turtlenecks. Rhythmic snapping in time with the slow drone of a poet … Continued
After much travail and bated breath, the day is finally here! That’s right, the 2013 Verses Festival of Words kicks off tonight with the Vancouver Poetry Slam Finals Night at the Rio Theatre. You can follow along with all the fun on the blog, or you can find us on … Continued
Every week we’ll be featuring an exceptional, useful, or just plain weird word. Use it to inspire a poem, impress your coworkers, or scare away the person sitting too close to you on the bus.
A weekly post featuring poems by innovators who continue to inspire the artists who will take the stage at Verses Festival of Words. Sonnet 100 by William Shakespeare Where art thou, Muse, that thou forget’st so long To speak of that which gives thee all thy might? Spend’st thou thy … Continued
To get you prepped for the onslaught of artistic awesomeness that’s coming your way in April, we’re running a series highlighting our amazing performers. Because you are busy and important, we’ll keep it short. 100 words or less, (almost) everything you need to know. Name: Sheri-D Wilson Hails from: Calgary, … Continued
To get you prepped for the onslaught of artistic awesomeness that’s coming your way in April, we’re running a series highlighting our amazing performers. Because you are busy and important, we’ll keep it short. 100 words or less, (almost) everything you need to know. Name: Regie Cabico Hails from: New … Continued
To get you prepped for the onslaught of artistic awesomeness that’s coming your way in April, we’re running a series highlighting our amazing performers. Because you are busy and important, we’ll keep it short. 100 words or less, (almost) everything you need to know. Name: Veda Hille Hails from: Vancouver, … Continued
Every week we’ll be featuring an exceptional, useful, or just plain weird word. Use it to inspire a poem, impress your coworkers, or scare away the person sitting too close to you on the bus.
A weekly post featuring poems by innovators who continue to inspire the artists who will take the stage at Verses Festival of Words. Listening to Myself by Al Purdy see myself staggering through deep snow lugging blocks of wood yesterday an old man almost falling from bodily weakness — look … Continued
To get you prepped for the onslaught of artistic awesomeness that’s coming your way in April, we’re running a series highlighting our amazing performers. Because you are busy and important, we’ll keep it short. 100 words or less, (almost) everything you need to know. Name: CR Avery Hails from: Vancouver, … Continued
Every week we’ll be featuring an exceptional, useful, or just plain weird word. Use it to inspire a poem, impress your coworkers, or scare away the person sitting too close to you on the bus.
A weekly post featuring poems by innovators who continue to inspire the artists who will take the stage at Verses Festival of Words. Argument by Elizabeth Bishop Days that cannot bring you near or will not, Distance trying to appear something more obstinate, argue argue argue with me endlessly neither … Continued
To get you prepped for the onslaught of artistic awesomeness that’s coming your way in April, we’re running a series highlighting our amazing performers. Because you are busy and important, we’ll keep it short. 100 words or less, (almost) everything you need to know. Name: Truth is… Hails from: Toronto, … Continued
To get you prepped for the onslaught of artistic awesomeness that’s coming your way in April, we’re running a series highlighting our amazing performers. Because you are busy and important, we’ll keep it short. 100 words or less, (almost) everything you need to know. Name: Wayde Compton Hails from: Vancouver, … Continued
Every week we’ll be featuring an exceptional, useful, or just plain weird word. Use it to inspire a poem, impress your coworkers, or scare away the person sitting too close to you on the bus.
A weekly post featuring poems by innovators who continue to inspire the artists who will take the stage at Verses Festival of Words. A Coat by WB Yeats I made my song a coat Covered with embroideries Out of old mythologies From heel to throat; But the fools caught it, … Continued
Fernando Raguero, featured poet at Fernando vs the World, is interviewed by Miguel Burr.
To get you prepped for the onslaught of artistic awesomeness that’s coming your way in April, we’re running a series highlighting our amazing performers. Because you are busy and important, we’ll keep it short. 100 words or less, (almost) everything you need to know. Name: Tara Hardy Hails from: Seattle, … Continued
To get you prepped for the onslaught of artistic awesomeness that’s coming your way in April, we’re running a series highlighting our amazing performers. Because you are busy and important, we’ll keep it short. 100 words or less, (almost) everything you need to know. Name: Beau Sia Hails from: Los … Continued
Every week we’ll be featuring an exceptional, useful, or just plain weird word. Use it to inspire a poem, impress your coworkers, or scare away the person sitting too close to you on the bus.
A weekly post featuring poems by innovators who continue to inspire the artists who will take the stage at Verses Festival of Words. Sonnets from the Portugese, XXXVI by Elizabeth Barrett Browning When we met first and loved, I did not build Upon the event with marble. Could it mean … Continued
To get you prepped for the onslaught of artistic awesomeness that’s coming your way in April, we’re running a series highlighting our amazing performers. Because you are busy and important, we’ll keep it short. 100 words or less, (almost) everything you need to know. Name: Mighty Mike McGee Hails from: … Continued
To get you prepped for the onslaught of artistic awesomeness that’s coming your way in April, we’re running a series highlighting our amazing performers. Because you are busy and important, we’ll keep it short. 100 words or less, (almost) everything you need to know. Name: Ivan Coyote Hails from: Vancouver, … Continued
Every week we’ll be featuring an exceptional, useful, or just plain weird word. Use it to inspire a poem, impress your coworkers, or scare away the person sitting too close to you on the bus.
A weekly post featuring poems by innovators who continue to inspire the artists who will take the stage at Verses Festival of Words. Making Love to Concrete by Audre Lorde An upright abutment in the mouth of the Willis Avenue bridge a beige Honda leaps the divider like a steel … Continued
Early bird festival passes are only $40 till March 7th. Only one hundred of these golden tickets exist in this universe, so buy them quick or regret it (they also make great gifts!).
To get you prepped for the onslaught of artistic awesomeness that’s coming your way in April, we’re running a series highlighting our amazing performers. Because you are busy and important, we’ll keep it short. 100 words or less, (almost) everything you need to know. Name: Mindy Nettifee Hails from: Portland, … Continued
To get you prepped for the onslaught of artistic awesomeness that’s coming your way in April, we’re running a series highlighting our amazing performers. Because you are busy and important, we’ll keep it short. 100 words or less, (almost) everything you need to know. Name: RC Weslowski Hails from: Vancouver, … Continued
To get you prepped for the onslaught of artistic awesomeness that’s coming your way in April, we’re running a series highlighting our amazing performers. Because you are busy and important, we’ll keep it short. 100 words or less, (almost) everything you need to know. Name: Valerie “Queenie” Mason-John Hails from: … Continued
Every week we’ll be featuring an exceptional, useful, or just plain weird word. Use it to inspire a poem, impress your coworkers, or scare away the person sitting too close to you on the bus.
A weekly post featuring poems by innovators who continue to inspire the artists who will take the stage at Verses Festival of Words. A Radio with Guts by Charles Bukowski it was on the 2nd floor on Coronado Street I used to get drunk and throw the radio through the … Continued
To get you prepped for the onslaught of artistic awesomeness that’s coming your way in April, we’re running a series highlighting our amazing performers. Because you are busy and important, we’ll keep it short. 100 words or less, (almost) everything you need to know. Name: Lillian Allen Hails from: Toronto, … Continued
To get you prepped for the onslaught of artistic awesomeness that’s coming your way in April, we’re running a series highlighting our amazing performers. Because you are busy and important, we’ll keep it short. 100 words or less, (almost) everything you need to know. Name: Fernando Raguero Hails from: Vancouver, … Continued
Every week we’ll be featuring an exceptional, useful, or just plain weird word. Use it to inspire a poem, impress your coworkers, or scare away the person sitting too close to you on the bus.
Hello poets, Please make sure that your SpoCan venue has registered online by Feb 28th through the following link: http://versesfestival.ca/wp/event/spocan-venue-registration You do not need to have chosen your CIPS rep by Feb 28th. You simply need to register your venue by then. Storm poet registration will open March 1st at … Continued
RC Weslowski, 2012 Canadian Individual Poetry Slam winner, is interviewed by Miguel Burr.
This ad will appear in the upcoming issue of BC Bookworld. Of course, the point here is not about lecterns themselves. They are noble pieces of stage furniture. The problem is that events featuring writers reading from behind lecterns can feel like church with the preacher proclaiming from the pulpit. … Continued
Donate to our Beyond Miles campaign, and help poets get to Verses Festival of Words! In each of the past four years (2009–12), Vancouver Poetry House has spent between $15,000–$25,000 to send local poets to national and international slam tournaments and to bring the best poets in the world to … Continued
Hello poets, if you are interested in participating in the 2013 Canadian Individual Poetry Slam Championships, please read the Indies FAQ. If there are any further questions, feel free to contact Chris Gilpin at hello@vancouverpoetryhouse.com. Venue registration will open on February 1, 2013. It will be $25, payable online through … Continued
Jillian Christmas, Co-Director of the Verses Festival of Words, is interviewed by Miguel Burr.
Chris Gilpin, Co-Director of the Verses Festival of Words is interviewed by Miguel Burr.
Hey, poets! Looking for more ways to get your words out into the world?
After more than 140 entries from 50 different participants, a new name has been chosen for the poetry festival hosted by Vancouver Poetry House each April. The festival will now be called: Verses Festival of Words and will happen next year April 8–13, 2013. The winner of the festival renaming … Continued
Choosing a new name for the festival is obviously a big deal. We’ve had a number of excellent entries, but we want to make sure that we have every good name imaginable as an option. So we are extending the deadline for the Festival Renaming Contest to September 15th. All … Continued
We’re holding a contest to rename VIPF. What should we call it?
The 2012 winner of the Canadian Individual Poetry Slam Championships is… RC Weslowski! Second Place: Greg ‘Ritallin’ Frankson Third Place: Colin Matty Fourth Place: Jen Kunlire Full results from Finals Night and overall standings to follow…
Wonderful poets and poetry enthusiasts, This is just a tiny reminder about the 2nd Annual Vancouver International Poetry Festival and the 2nd Annual Canadian Individual Poetry Slam Championship this coming April 23rd through 28th 2012. Some of you may note that the festival is later on ion April. This is … Continued
On April 23rd, 2011, the first Canadian Individual Poetry Slam Championship concluded with its final bout. 32 poets began in this competition, and 12 advanced to finals after two days of preliminary bouts. Those poets were: Sasha Langford, Francis Arevalo, Lucia Misch, Zaccheus Jackson, Mary Pinkowski, Eytan Crouton, Jillian Christmas, … Continued
Libby Davies, our MP, is not only a fabulous representative for East Vancouver in the House of Commons, but she included a poem in her opening remarks at our festival opening ceremony on Monday. She was met with thunderous applause. Ode to East Van The Drive is awash people, Stakeboards, … Continued
VIPF welcomed Shane Koyczan at its opening night festivities
No one can deny that Susan Musgrave has had a very interesting life. Her career as a social misfit began when she was kicked out of kindergarten class for laughing, and sent to the library to contemplate her heinous crime while seated on the “Thinking Chair”. She understood, then, that … Continued
Duncan Shields here, co-slam master of Vancouver Poetry Slam and graphic designer for the festival. We just got the posters in and they look amazing. I’m really happy with how they turned out. Look for them in your neighbourhood. These make it feel more real, somehow. It’s really happening! This … Continued
So, it’s not like I’m excited or anything, but there are ONLY 39 MORE DAYS until the launch of the Vancouver International Poetry Festival! Sorry about the all-caps. Didn’t mean to shout. The last week or so, the VIP festival has stopped feeling like it’s sooooooo far away and has … Continued
