Contest Deadline Extended, Mission & Vision Statements Released

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 entries made so far are still in the running.

We’ve also added a few items to the contest prize pack. The winner will now also receive a two-hour poetry workshop of their choice (value $25) in addition to the two festival passes (which are only for festival shows, not workshops). We put on about three poetry workshops each year. The winner would be able to choose which workshop they want to attend once we release the schedule.

To spark your imagination – and tell you a bit more of what the festival is all about – we have crafted new mission and artistic vision statements. These statements serve to remind us of what we’re all about and what we aspire to become.

Mission Statement:

The mission of the (soon-to-be-renamed) Vancouver International Poetry Festival (VIPF) is to celebrate the power of words – written, spoken or sung; to engage diverse groups in cutting-edge, live performances as both audience and participants; to present influential artists from both the oral and literary traditions, and to encourage the next generation of performers and writers.

VIPF takes place annually at venues clustered around East Vancouver’s Commercial Drive. This cultural district is the heart of Vancouver’s spoken word community. The
proximity and variety of festival venues serves to facilitate unexpected encounters in a disarming context.

VIPF is committed to partnering with SpoCan to present the Canadian Individual Poetry Slam championship (CIPS). VIPF aims to serve the national slam community by staging CIPS in a way that ensures fairness and spotlights the quality of slam poetry emerging from across Canada.

Artistic Vision Statement:

There is something transformative that is experienced when the stories of individuals are shared aloud. Those who have engaged with the oral tradition understand the feeling of excitement, connection and community that these exchanges can spark. The vision of the 2013 VIPF is to showcase these exchanges in an eclectic cross section of spoken word and detailed panel discussion.