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

So, day one of the Vancouver International Poetry Festival was on Monday April 18 – our opening night show was the always-thrilling Vancouver Poetry Slam Team Finals Night. I spent the day trying to relax, since I was competing in the show that night for a spot on the Van … 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