Get in touch

We would like to improve the accessibility of Vancouver Poetry House. If you would like to make a suggestion, if you have a request or if you would like to give us feedback please get in touch at access@vancouverpoetryhouse.com

 

Safety precautions during COVID as of April 21, 2022.

We ask you to please wear a mask at all times except when eating or drinking at Vancouver Poetry House events. Our mask request will be in place until further notice.

Accompanied Walk To and From Venue

If you would like someone to meet you at a bus stop or your car to accompany you on the walk to a venue please contact us at access@vancouverpoetryhouse.com Please contact us at least 3 days before the event.

 

Complementary Tickets for Support Persons

Vancouver Poetry House provides complimentary tickets for people accompanying an audience member as a support person. Please contact us at access@vancouverpoetryhouse.com so we can set aside a ticket at least 3 days before the event.

 

Request an ASL Interpreter

ASL interpretation can be requested for workshops and meetings at Vancouver Poetry House. Please contact us at access@vancouverpoetryhouse.com at least 2 weeks before the event. ASL interpretation is subject to availability but we will do our best.

ASL Interpreters are currently booked for the following Verses 2022 events:

 

Relaxed Events

We’re pretty relaxed. Audience members are welcome to come and go at all of our events. We encourage people to respond during performances, to voice their feelings, to clap and snap.

Spoken word performances are intense. At Verses Festival of Words events we provide active listeners and a chill out space for anyone who would like to step away from the performance.

The venue is never completely dark at Vancouver Poetry House events.

 

2022 Verses Venue Accessibility

The 2022 Verses Festival of Words in-person events are taking place at:

  • Vancity Culture Lab, the Cultch, 1895 Venables St, Vancouver
  • WISE Hall, 1882 Adanac St, Vancouver.

WISE Hall Access

For over 50 years, the Wise Club has hosted music shows, festivals, celebrations, theatrical shows, and fundraisers in its upstairs Hall. Downstairs we host a members lounge that is always accepting new members – have the bartender sign you in and taste the experience. Best Guinness on tap, best prices in town! The place is full of both character, and characters, and you can join in a game of pool or darts, or find a corner to catch up with friends. Canucks games all season. What’s not to love? Hope to see you by sometime soon.
The WISE Club is located in a residential neighbourhood, kindly respect the club and our neighbours by smoking in the designated areas & keeping voices down while outside.
Read the full RAMP audit

Vancity Culture Lab Access

As a black box studio, all the lighting and audio technology is accessible from anywhere in the room. The C-Lab, as we like to refer to it, is a cinder block construction with the latest in acoustical properties. The room is draped with black velour that is all on tracks allowing for any easy change to the backdrop of your production.

Accessibility at the Cultch

Please read the full audit below from the Radical Accessibility Mapping Project for more details.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B81n0augDG8kfjRtVF9HbUtpalppQnVnejNKS3lMNmtqZWpfamNwRjlhSVZRRmpIRjJnTkU?resourcekey=0-n5z8fMHucfZ06lWZ5eOoSg

 

Vancouver Poetry House Accessibility Statement

Accessible and inclusive programming, including disabled persons and older adults, requires regular attention to all aspects of VPH programming. We want to incorporate best practices in the arts sector as well as lead by example. To ensure that existing and future programming is available to disabled individuals, youth and older adults, whether they are artists, board members, staff, curators, volunteers, teachers, students or audience members we state the following beliefs:

  • Access is an issue of justice with a moral imperative.
  • Access is intersectional.
  • Access is a design issue. Reducing the physical and attitudinal barriers by creating environments accessible to all is a fundamental principle of good artistic practice.
  • Community is enriched by actively supporting and promoting the presence of disabled persons.
  • Access should be integrated into all facets and activities of Vancouver Poetry House.
  • Access accommodations and services should be included in the yearly budget process.
  • Access has economic benefits to VPH, to the community, to its members, to the City of Vancouver, and to the greater Provincial and National economies.
  • Access is related to audience development.
  • Access reduces isolation and can have a significant impact on mental health. Access can reduce suicidality in arts communities.
  • Arts organizations should lead by example. VPH should strive to meet or exceed local, provincial, and national legal requirements.
  • Access is a dynamic work in progress. As new initiatives are developed, art forms change and expand and new technologies are introduced. As such, VPH includes accessibility planning into its yearly planning cycle.