Vancouver Poetry House

Youth Poetry Slam featuring Q
2017-10-23 20:00 - 22:00 (America/Vancouver) | DMP-300×190
We acknowledge this event is taking place on the unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh peoples.
We strive to have all of our shows be trans friendly events and we hope you can help us achieve that goal.
Our 2017/18 youth slam season is in full swing. Poets have been competing to earn points towards making the youth slam playoffs in March of 2018. If you are between the ages of 13-20 you are welcome to get up on stage and give it a shot.
It’s a good idea to have at least 2 poems ready to perform. The poems must be written by the poet performing (no cover poems) and not be long than 3 minutes 10 seconds. No props or costumes are allowed to enhance the performance. It’s just you and your words.
We also have a poetry open mic and a feature performer. We are excited to have as this month’s feature, Q.
“Q is a queercrip poet and amateur photographer living, learning, and dying on the traditional, ancestral, unceded lands of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh people. Their work centres crip justice, sex work, and radical vulnerability and acceptance, and they find themself most eager to explore what it means to live honestly within and beyond all facets of their identity as a self-proclaimed survivor, failure, and begin-againer”
Sign up is at 7pm. Show at 8 o’clock.
$4 for 18 and under. $6-$10 for everyone else. It’s cash only at the door.
rcarcee2@gmail.com for more info.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/101wCYaLu9rlQy1ntZb9vREK9ysOLO0Dd28Pwvz1qrCc/edit?authkey=CJvpsbcD&hl=en_US#gid=0

Vancouver Poetry Slam featuring Duncan Shields
2017-10-02 20:00 - 22:30 | DMP-300×190
He is a two-time Vancouver Haiku Champion, a two-time Vancouver Nerd Slam Champion, two-time Ghost Story Slam and the winner of the 2010 IWPS Haiku Championship in Charlotte, North Carolina. He is one of only three North American poets to complete the Century Challenge of slamming 100 poems in a row with no repeats and he is the only one to do it twice. He’s a two-time Vancouver Poetry Slam team member and he was a competitor in the final CBC Radio poetry faceoff in 2009. He was the Vancouver poetry Slam Master for four years, the Vancouver Poetry House president for a bit, and he originated and maintained the Vancouver Poetry Slam YouTube channel for six years, uploading over four thousand videos with over 23 thousand subscribers and five million views. He’s a Libra, he has blue eyes, likes bland burritos, long walks in the rain, and he’s happy to be here.
We are now in the Winter Season, the season that decides Vancouver Poetry Slam team for April 2018. During the Winter Season (from September–March), the slam format consists of two rounds of 3-minute poems.
Cafe Deux Soleils and the Van Slam strive to be a trans friendly place and a hate speech free zone. Help us with that.
We acknowledge this event is taking place on the unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh people. Please be respectful of that fact and its potential impacts when attending all VPH events.
Also, be kind to our VOLUNTEER door staff. They have to follow BC Liquor Board Rules and once we are sold out we can’t let anyone in unless someone leaves. You cannot save seats for people in line. Let them know if you are leaving. Our door, is cash ONLY.
Get there before if you want a seat/ to sign-up for the open mic or slam.

Youth Poetry Slam featuring Velveteen Queens
2017-09-25 20:00 - 22:15 | DMP-300×190
We acknowledge our event and our daily lives are taking place on the unceded territories of the Squamish, Musqueam and Tsleil-Waututh peoples.
We also strive to have our events be trans friendly and hope you can help us achieve that goal.
The new youth slam season is now in full swing and this will be our third event for poets aged 13-20 to earn points towards competing in the youth slam finals in March 2018.
To make the team you must compete at least twice during the regular season and NOT be turning 21 before September 1st, 2018.
There are 2 rounds of competition featuring a maximum of 3 minute long poems. No props or costumes are to be used with your performance. You must have written the poem you present and there is no use of musical instruments or pre recorded audio. It’s just you and your words.
We will also have a poetry open mic and a feature performance. This month’s feature is a new spoken word duo made up of veteran youth poets, Mariah Dear and Anjalica Solomon.
“Velveteen Queens is a musical and poetic duo made up of Anjalica Solomon and Mariah Lynne Dear. These two velvet souls find no ends to their creativity and are excited to share their unique blend of poetry and music onstage with you.”
It’s $4 for 18 and under and $6-$10 sliding scale at the door. It’s also cash only so please be kind to our door volunteers.
The Cafe is wheelchair accesible with 1 accesible washroom. The stage is not wheelchair accesible at this time. There are 2 steps you will need to climb to get on the stage.
rcarcee2@gmail.com for more info.

Individual World Poetry Slam (IWPS) Playoff and C.R. Avery
2017-09-11 20:00 - 23:00 | DMP-300×190
The Vancouver Poetry House presents : The Individual Poetry Slam Playoffs Featuring C.R.Avery
On Monday, September 11th at Cafe Deux Soleil, the top scoring poets of the summer season will compete to determine who will represent Vancouver in the Individual World Poetry Slam in Spokane, WA between Oct 11-14th 2017, as well as the Canadian Individual Poetry Slam between April 19-April 29th 2018.
The poet who wins The Playoff slam will have their flight and accommodations covered by the Vancouver Poetry Slam and will be crowned our Individual Poetry Slam Representative.
The rules for Playoffs are the same as always. Please feel free to review these rules on the Vanslam Website. They will also be reviewed by the host at the beginning of the show.
The format for the evening will be as follows:
The slam will consist of 10 competitors (9 top scorers from the summer season plus the winner of Monday’s -Sept 4th- last chance slam). There will be four rounds. All rounds are cumulative (your points from each round will be added together to determine your rank in the slam), all rounds will also be cut from below (those with the highest scores will move on). The order of the rounds will be
Round one – Ten poets perform – 1 min poems
Round two – Eight poets perform – 2 min poems
Feature – C.R. Avery / Break
Round Three – Six poets perform – 3 min poems
Round Four – Four poets perform – 4 min poems
If there is a tie we will have a tie breaker round between the last two poets, this round will be a 3 min poem and will not be cumulative, but rather head to head.
The following poets will be competing in the playoffs on Monday Sept 11th:
Lip Balm
Julia Pileggi
Jaye Simpson
Dave Rankin
Spillious
Justin Bige
Resting Butch Face
Angelica Poversky
Emory Oakley
Last Chance Slam Winner: Kay Kassirer
Best of luck to all competing poets!
About our feature:
“Cue the frenzied combo of molar and spit.
his tongue touches every chroma on its way to blue.
he’s been rinsing with gravel, flossing with wire
and chewing brick again, he’s been a bad, bad boy.
but he is crackerjack conjurer of washboards and
rubber, even suburb girls welcome the twinging. i
want to nibble yesterday’s corona from his chin, rub
my index finger along the surface of his laugh, pull
the maw open to check the slick road of his throat.
there’s something illegal going on down there, the
sweet keening of ancient instruments. the orchestra
is fidgety, click-hipped, steaming inside that skin.
the boy opens the beauteous and, in gut rendering,
words become both otherwise and everything.”
Cafe Deux Soleils and the Van Slam strive to be a trans friendly venue and a hate speech free zone. Help us with that.
We acknowledge this event is taking place on the unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh people. Please be respectful of that fact and its potential impacts when attending all VPH events.
Also, be kind to our VOLUNTEER door staff. They have to follow BC Liquor Board Rules and once we are sold out we can’t let anyone in unless someone leaves. You cannot save seats for people in line. Let them know if you are leaving. Also no ATM at the door, it’s cash ONLY.
Get there early if you want a seat or want to slam. Before 7pm!

CIPS/IWPS Last Chance Slam featuring Emilee Nimetz
2017-09-04 20:00 - 22:30 | DMP-300×190
We acknowledge this event is taking place on the unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh people. Please be respectful of that fact and its potential impacts when attending all VPH events.
The Vancouver Poetry House presents Emilee Nimetz featuring at the CIPS/ IWPS Last Chance Slam.
About our feature:
EMILEE NIMETZ is a spoken word poet, performance artist, playwright, blogger, actor, singer, choreographer, dance instructor and has a ukulele named Maude. She was Vancouver’s Individual Poetry Slam Champion in 2014, a finalist in the Canadian Individual Poetry Slam in 2015. She also hosted CIPS Finals with Ian Keteku at the Verses Festival of Words in 2016. Emilee’s poetry has taken her across Canada and the US and was featured at Vancouver International Writer’s Festival in 2016. Her work as a poet has been featured on Button Poetry and Best of Button. She is the current Writer-in-Residence for the Dora Award Winning Bad Hats Theatre Company (Toronto).
Emilee resides in Victoria, BC where she works as a poetry workshop facilitator and choreographer. In her free time, Emilee likes to dip her toes in the Pacific Ocean in serious contemplation. She also enjoys eating snacks and watching Netflix.
High Stakes:
***The winner of this slam automatically moves on to the Qualifying slam on Monday Sept 11th (at Cafe Deux Soleils) to determine which poet will represent Vancouver at the Individual World Poetry Slam in October, as well as the Canadian Individual Poetry Slam in April. Best of luck to all! ***
Cafe Deux Soleils and the Van Slam strive to be a trans friendly place and a hate speech free zone. Help us with that.
Also, be kind to our VOLUNTEER door staff. They have to follow BC Liquor Board Rules and once we are sold out we can’t let anyone in unless someone leaves. You cannot save seats for people in line. Let them know if you are leaving. Also no ATM at the door, it’s cash ONLY.
Get there early if you want a seat or want to slam. Before 7pm! **Event format will follow that of the summer season (2/1/4).

Youth Poetry Slam featuring Amal Rana
2017-08-28 20:00 - 22:30 | DMP-300×190
We acknowledge this event is taking place on the unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh people. It’s occupied territory. Be respectful of that notion please.
August’s youth poetry slam is the second event in our new youth slam season where poets 13-20 years of age try to earn points towards making the youth slam playoffs next March. There will be 2 rounds of poetry 3 minutes or less in length of time with 12 poets in the first round and 5 in the second (barring any ties.)
No props or costume or pre recorded musical accompaniment allowed. Also no musical instruments allowed in your performance. It’s just you and your words on stage.
Sign up starts at 7 pm.
We will also have a poetry open mic and a feature poet. This month’s feature is Amal Rana!
“Amal Rana is an interdisciplinary poet, educator and queer Muslim futurist. In these times when even exhaling while being Muslim is considered a crime, she conjures poetry as an act of sedition and collective liberation. Her work is informed by a proud legacy of ghazals, love and freedom fighters. Amal’s poems have been published and performed widely. Recent collaborations of love include: Tomorrow Is Ours – Interdisciplinary Writing Series on BIPOC futurisms, Breaking the Fast: Annual Arts Showcase for Muslim women and Queer and Trans Muslims and a Spoken Word/Contemporary Dance series for immigrant and refugee youth. rosewaterpoet.com ”
$4 for 18 and under. $6-$10 for 19 and up. Cash only at the door.
We also strive to create a trans friendly space and welcome everyone who wants to help us achieve that goal.
rcarcee2@gmail.com for more info

3rd Annual Cascadia Cup Team Poetry Slam
2017-08-16 20:00 - 21:30 | DMP-300×190
This event is taking place on the unceded, occupied, and stolen traditional territories of the Squamish, Musqueam and Tsleil-Wautuh peoples.
The Cascadia Cup is an annual team poetry slam featuring poetry slam teams from the region to compete for regional bragging rights and warm up for national poetry slam team competitions.
This year’s squads include 2 time defending champions, The Vancouver Youth Slam plus the Vancouver Poetry Slam, Team Slamapalooza and UBC Slam.
The show is also a fundraiser to help offset travel costs for each of the teams. Come one out to support these poets before they head off to represent you back east for Voices of Today and CFSW. It should be an exciting and wild night with lots of great poems. Come see what the poets are doing.
Vancouver Youth Slam are
Emma Field, Nadia Alikashani, Charity Ywaya, Andrew Warner, Ana Monfared
UBC Slam are
Justine Do, Mariah Dear, Anjalica Solomon, Angelica Poversky
Vancouver Poetry Slam are
Lip Balm, Julia Pileggi, Molly Billows Spillious the Ridiculous One
Slamapalooza
TBD
Show starst at 8pm. Sliding scale $6-$10. It’s cash only at the door.
Cafe Deux Soleils and Vancouver Poetry House strive to create trans friendly events so please help us in moving towards that goal.
rcarcee2@gmail.com for more info.

RC Weslowski features at the Vancouver Poetry Slam August 14th
2017-08-14 20:00 - 22:30 | DMP-300×190
We acknowledge this event is taking place on the unceded, occupied territories of the Squamish, Musqueam and Tsleil-Waututh peoples.
The Summer Slam continues to roll along as poets attempt to gain points to make it into the Vancouver IWPS playoff in September.
There are 3 rounds of poetry. A 2 minute round, a 1 minute round and a 4 minute round. Be prepared to flex and stretch your poetry muscles.
There is also a poetry open mic and a featured performer. This week’s feature is RC Weslowski…
“RC Weslowski is a 2017 VPL Bookcamp Keynote Speaker, winner of the 2016 Sheri D Wilson Golden Beret Award and the 2012 Canadian Individual Poetry Slam Champion. RC is a 2 time World Cup of Poetry Slam Finalist (2007 and 2013) and 7 time member of the Vancouver Poetry Slam Team. RC has been published in CV2, Arc Magazine, Oratorealis and other poetry journals.
RC is the co-founder and co-director of Hullabaloo: the BC Youth Spoken Word Festival. He is also the co-creator of Surrealist Audio Collage Podcast “Oh No Not Another Podcast”
www.rcweslowski.com
The Vancouver Poetry Slam strives to be a trans friendly and supportive space. Please help us towards that goal. Fuck 45!
It’s $6-$10 sliding scale at the door. Cash only at the door. Please be kind to our volunteers.

Carnival of Words (formerly Slamathon) Van Slam Team Fundraiser
2017-08-13 09:00 - 21:00 | Chicken Sessions House, 2048 Pandora Street backyard, Vancouver, BC
A marathon of 12 hours of poetry, and you are invited to join in!
Read/perform your own or someone else’s poetry or sponsor someone else you want to hear.The whole thing is a $2/minute fundraiser for the 2017 Vancouver Poetry Slam team to help pay for their trip to perform at Canadian Festival of Spoken Words in Peterborough in the Fall. The team is Trev Spilchen aka Spillious, Julia Pileggi, Molly Billows, Johnny Trinh, and Matt Miller.
As of August 9 at midnight, there are only eleven 5 minute spots left
in the whole day of poetry!!
If you wanna be part of the Slamathon ya better hurry up & sign up for some time!
Here’s the link:
http://www.slottr.com/sheets/7337096

You can also go to the above link to find out when all the amazing artists who have already signed up, will be performing.
Names like Jillian Christmas, Lucia Misch, RC Weslowski, Duncan Shields, Johnny MacRae, Vancouver Youth Slam team, Lip Balm, Spillious, Johnny Trinh, Julia Pileggi, Spillious, Q, Richard Glen Lett, Dave Rankin, Coral More, Rachel Taylor, jp lorence, Scott Ramsay, Andrew Warner, Sho Wiley, Darry Danzig, Justin Peter Willem Bige, Rachel Goddard, Jano, Nova & +
Pamela Bentley our feature performer!!!!
She’ll be on at 4:30!
While the Slamathon spots are almost full, we still have up to 10 spots available for the 1st Annual Head to Head C.O.W Slam.
This is a head to head summer slam championship,
$10-20 sliding scale entry fee,
$50 1st Prize (along with the coveted COW cup & Slam team re-gift basket)
Contact Matt. Miller or Trev Spilchen if you wanna grab a spot for this super fun slam.
Also bring some money for yummy snacks & beverages, and…
Throw water balloons at Van Slam Team members!
All to raise funds for grassroots arts in Vancouver.

It’s all happening in the backyard of the Chicken Sessions house! Rain or shine, there’ll be cover provided. Stay for a little while or stay for a lot.

For more details, you can check out the event page on Facebook:
Van Slam’s Carnival of Words (formerly Slamathon) Fundraiser

Van Slam's Carnival of Words Team Fundraiser
2017-08-13 09:00 - 21:00 | 2048 Pandora Street
Hey Folks, it’s back – Slamathon version 2.0, new & improved as The Van Slam Carnival of Words! The traditional opportunity to sign up to read poetry and support Van Slam’s efforts to send a team to compete at CFSW, The Canadian Festival of Spoken Word, along with new features like the Head to Head Slam Championship & the chance to throw water balloons at Van Slam Team members!!!
As well as fun decatholon slam style events, feature performer TBA, yummy foods & great vibes hangin in the sunshine with wonderful folks!!
Here’s how the Slamathon sign up works -Slamathon spots are $2 per minute, in 5 minute increments. Wanna sign up?
Simply go to:
http://www.slottr.com/sheets/7337096
Sign yourself up for as long as you wish (add your name in each 5 minute spot desired). Then – either pay for the slots yourself or get yourself sponsored to read & bring the cash to the event.
Or…you can throw water balloons at Van Slam team members (Spillious,Johnny D Trinh, Julia Pileggi, Molly Billows, & Lipbalm) for $2 per balloon or 3 balloons for $5!!!
Or…Sign up for the Carnival of Words Summer Slam Championship, otherwise known as the C.O.W. Slam.
Entry is $10-$20 sliding scale, 12 spots available,
$50 first place prize along with the Slam team re-gift basket, & of course the C.O.W Cup!!
Sign up with Matt Miller via facebook or
email: matt.miller.slam@gmail.com
Or…you can buy some yummy treats on the day.
Or…simply come hang out with us and perhaps donate some funds to the Vancouver Poetry Slam!
We acknowledge this event is taking place on the unceded, settler occupied territories of the Squamish, Musqueam and Tsleil Waututh peoples.
All Vancouver Poetry House events strive to be trans friendly and accessible to all bodies. Please help us with that goal.
Accessibility info:
The Chicken Sessions House is an old house with no accessibility modifications. There is a dirt driveway up to a large wide gate. The backyard is mostly grass with some gravel on path. If there has been little rain to make the ground soft, this is navigable by wheelchair and scooter. There is one small drop down from the side yard to the back. A makeshift ramp is provided.
The yard can also be entered from the paved back alley through a gate with no steps but a slight incline.
There are about a dozen steps up to the main floor where the bathroom is. Inside, everything is on the same level.

Kelsey Savage features at the Vancouver Poetry Slam
2017-08-07 20:00 - 22:30 | DMP-300×190
The Summer slam season is here which means an altered format from the rest of the year. During the Summer season poets are asked to perform up to 2 minute, 1 minute and 4 minute long poems. 12 poets in the first round 6 in the second and the top 3 scoring poets in the third round…barring any ties.
Poets who make the third round earn points towards making the Vancouver Individual World Poetry Slam Playoffs and a chance to go to IWPS in the U.S. and represent Vancouver at the Canadian Individual Poetry Slam in April 2018.
About Our Feature:
Kelsey Savage is a sapphire-haired poet living on unceded Coast Salish territories. She’s had her work featured on the East Van Poetry’s Salon’s Best Poems of 2016 list, the 2014 CBC Non-Fiction Prize longlist, the 2014 Vancouver Fringe Festival, and the 2013 Vancouver Burlesque Longform show at the Rio Theatre. A veteran slam poet and co-host of the long-running Open Mic at the Lyceum in Kitsilano, Kelsey has taken poetry into every corner of Vancouver and found community in doing so. When she’s not writing, Kelsey is a lindy hop swing dancer and sexual health educator.
Cover is $6-$10 sliding scale. Sign up to perform is 7pm. Show starts at 8 o’clock.
This event along with our daily lives in Vancouver is taking place on the unceded territories of the Squamish, Musqueam and Tsleil-Waututh peoples.
We also strive to have trans friendly gender bending events inclusive of all orientations and experiences. Please help us do that.

Francis Arevalo and Roya B at the Vancouver Poetry Slam
2017-07-31 20:00 - 22:30 | DMP-300×190
The Summer slam season is here which means an altered format from the rest of the year. During the Summer season poets are asked to perform up to 2 minute, 1 minute and 4 minute long poems. 12 poets in the first round 6 in the second and the top 3 scoring poets in the third round…barring any ties.
Poets who make the third round earn points towards making the Vancouver Individual World Poetry Slam Playoffs and a chance to go to IWPS in the U.S. and represent Vancouver at the Canadian Individual Poetry Slam in April 2018.
About Our Features:
Roya & Francis live in Vancouver and are from diverse backgrounds. They are community builders so their craft is inspired by the beauty in the people around them. Their sound crosses genres with roots in hip-hop, R&B and poetry. They met through many moments of serendipity from 2010 until the present. Through life circumstances, their connection, and their love for music, the universe kept bringing them back to each other, the serendipity like a command to make music and create together.
Cover is $6-$10 sliding scale. Sign up to perform is 7pm. Show starts at 8 o’clock.
This event along with our daily lives in Vancouver is taking place on the unceded territories of the Squamish, Musqueam and Tsleil-Waututh peoples.
We also strive to have trans friendly gender bending events inclusive of all orientations and experiences. Please help us do that.

Youth Poetry Slam featuring Valeen Jules
2017-07-24 20:00 - 22:00 | DMP-300×190
Summer is in full swing AND it’s time to start up the BRAND NEW YOUTH SLAM SEASON. For the past few months we’ve been goofing around with “anarchy slams”, cash and the like but NOW we start up the brand new youth slam season. Now through February 2018 poets will have a chance to collect points to try and make it into the youth slam playoffs at the end of March 2018.
Throughout the season we wil be playing with the format of the slam…sometimes head to head competition, sometimes costumes and props will be allowed and other challenges will incorporated.
However to kick things off we will stay with the traditional two rounds of 3 minute long poems. 12 poets in the 1st round and the top 5 (barring ties) in the 2nd round.
The youth slam is open to poets 13-20 years of age.
$4 for 18 and under $6-$10 for 19 and up.
We will also keep having a poetry open mic and a featured performer. This month we are extremely happy to have as our feature, Valeen Jules.
“Valeen Jules, also known as Kā’ ānni, is a determined young Indigenous warrior from the Nuu-chah-nulth and Kwakwaka’wakw Nations. A former foster kid, homeless youth and 1st-yr college dropout, she is now known as a political organizer, motivational speaker, youth outreach worker, spoken word artist, black snake killer and ”overeducated extremist” across Turtle Island. She released her first chapbook ʔiiḥmisic in July 2016 which has been used in the curriculum of a Humanities course at Emily Carr University. Originally from Kyuquot, she now resides on Snuneymuxw territories.”
www.valeenjules.ca
Acknowledge this event is taking place on the unceded, settler occupied territories of the Squamish, Musqueam and Tsleil Waututh peoples.
All Vancouver Poetry House events strive to be trans friendly and accessible to all bodies. Please help us with that goal.
It’s CASH ONLY at the door.
rcarcee2@gmail.com for more info.

J Mase III features at the Van Slam
2017-07-17 20:00 - 22:30 | DMP-300×190
The Summer slam season is here which means an altered format from the rest of the year. During the Summer season poets are asked to perform up to 2 minute, 1 minute and 4 minute long poems. 12 poets in the first round 6 in the second and the top 3 scoring poets in the third round…barring any ties.
Poets who make the third round earn points towards making the Vancouver Individual World Poetry Slam Playoffs and a chance to go to IWPS in the U.S. and represent Vancouver at the Canadian Individual Poetry Slam in April 2018.
About Our Feature:
“J Mase III is a Black/trans/queer poet based in Seattle, by way of NYC. He is the author of “If I Should Die Under the Knife, Tell my Kidney I was the Fiercest Poet Around”, as well as “And Then I Got Fired: One Transqueer’s Reflections on Grief, Unemployment, and Inappropriate Jokes about Death”.
As an educator, J Mase has worked with thousands of community members in the US, the UK, and Canada on the needs of LGBTQIA youth and adults in spaces such as K-12 schools, universities, faith communities, and restricted care facilities among others.
He is the founder of awQward, the first ever trans and queer people of color specific talent agency.
His work and musings have been featured on MSNBC, NBC OUT, Essence Live, Atlanta Black Star, GO Magazine, Believe Out Loud, Everyday Feminism, Black Girl Dangerous, Upworthy, the New York Times, Buzzfeed, the Root, the Huffington Post and more.
Check him out on Facebook, Twitter, and of course: www.awQwardtalent.com! ”
Cover is $6-$10 sliding scale. Sign up to perform is 7pm. Show starts at 8 o’clock.
This event along with our daily lives in Vancouver is taking place on the unceded territories of the Squamish, Musqueam and Tsleil-Waututh peoples.
We also strive to have trans friendly gender bending events inclusive of all orientations and experiences. Please help us do that.

June Youth Poetry Slam featuring the Poetry Squaddd!
2017-06-26 20:00 - 22:00 | DMP-300×190
This will be the final poetry slam before the start of the 2017/18 youth slam season so break out your new poems and test them in front of an attentive and appreciative audience.
There will be two 3 minute rounds in the competition plus a poetry open mic and of course a feature performance.
This month’s feature is the Poetry Squaddd aka the 2017 Vancouver Youth Slam Team. The team included Charity Ywaya, Nadia Alikashani, Ana Monfared, Andrew Warner and our grand slam champ, Emma Field.
Come check out their new team pieces they’ve been working on just for this event.
Doors and sign up to read starts at 7pm. Show gets going at 8 o’clock. $4 for 18 and under. $6-$10 for 19 and up. It’s CASH ONLY at the door.
We acknowledge this event is taking place on the unceded territories of the Squamish, Musqueam and Tsleil-Waututh peoples. We also strive to hold trans and queer friendly events so please assist in doing so.
rcarcee2@gmail.com for more info

Vancouver Poetry Slam featuring Electric Jon
2017-06-05 20:00 - 22:00 | DMP-300×190
The Summer slam season is here which means an altered format from the rest of the year. During the Summer season poets are asked to perform up to 2 minute, 1 minute and 4 minute long poems. 12 poets in the first round 6 in the second and the top 3 scoring poets in the third round…barring any ties.
Poets who make the third round earn points towards making the Vancouver Individual World Poetry Slam Playoffs and a chance to go to IWPS in the U.S. and represent Vancouver at the Canadian Individual Poetry Slam in April 2018.
This week we feature the return of Electric Jon ” Electric Jon Negrych is a writer of fiction, poetry, song and screen. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree majoring in Theatrical Performance from the University of Winnipeg. (1993). An accomplished performance poet, EJ was a member of the Toronto Poetry Slam team in Boston at the National Poetry Slam in 2011. He has featured at slams across Canada. This will be his fourth Van Slam feature in 10 years. Electric Jon is currently on tour with Rob B Stardust, an electronic musician and producer. Electric Jon performs lead vocals over backing tracks live with music, video, lights, smoke and costume. This psychedelic musical theatre is known as Electric Stardust. Electric Jon self published a cyberjunk art novel, Carefully Sealed in the Margarine Container, online in 2016. He is currently working on a screen play and writing a brand new album, LSDJ. Electric Jon Negrych has a trade as a blaster of heavy explosives in the mining industry in the Yukon. He is a classic Pisces. ”
It’s $6-$10 sliding scale. Sign up to perform is 7pm. Show starts at 8 o’clock.
This event along with our daily lives in Vancouver is taking place on the unceded territories of the Squamish, Musqueam and Tsleil-Waututh peoples.
We also strive to have trans friendly gender bending events inclusive of all orientations and experiences. Please help us do that.

Vancouver Queer Slam featuring Jillian Christmas
2017-06-02 19:00 - 23:00 | Wise Hall, 1882 Adanac St, Vancouver, BC, British Columbia, V5L 4E5, Canada
It’s that time of year again! We need to crown our 2017 Queer Slam Champion.
Without putting too many definitions on what a Queer Slam is, this competition will showcase, express, and celebrate the work of Van Slam’s writers of queer poetry. Featuring Jillian Christmas, the winner of 2016’s Capturing Fire Queer Summit. This slam will determine which poet will have the chance for the FIRST TIME EVER to officially represent Vancouver Poetry Slam in Washington, DC at this year’s Capturing Fire festival.
“Jillian Christmas was born and raised in Markham, Ontario. She currently lives on the unceded territories of the Squamish, Tsleil-Waututh and Musqueam people (Vancouver, BC.), where she serves as Artistic Director of Versəs Festival of Words. Jillian is an enthusiastic organizer and activist in the Canadian arts community, her focus being to increase anti-oppression initiatives in spoken word. She has participated in, developed and executed programs in partnership with Toronto Poetry Project, Wordplay, Brendan McLeod’s Travelling Slam, University of British Columbia, Vancouver Opera, and the CULTCH Mentorship, and facilitated spoken word workshops for youth and adults across the country.”
However you identify, please come out to participate, be dazzled, and support our vibrant community of LGBTQIA… writers and performers – We can’t wait to hear what you’ve been working on!
There will be an open mic, followed by an OPEN SIGN-UP SLAM with three-round poetry slam: 2 min, 1 minute and 4 minute rounds.
Cover is $6-$10 sliding scale. Sign up to perform is 7pm. Show starts at 8 o’clock.
This event, along with our daily lives in Vancouver, takes place on the unceded territories of the Squamish, Musqueam and Tsleil-Waututh peoples.
We also strive to have trans friendly gender bending events inclusive of all orientations and experiences. Please help us do that.
This event is a scent-reduced space. To assist in our goal of increasing accessibility to Vancouver Poetry House events, please do your best to be aware of this and join us in reducing the impact of personal scented products (such as perfumes, scented oils, etc.) in our festival spaces.
The venue for theis event is the Wise Hall up-top. Access info can be found below
Accessibility Info for Wise Hall:
You’ll note on arrival a set of railed stairs leading into the Hall. The wheelchair accessible entrance is around back. For certain events there will be someone posted at the door throughout the event and/or a bell system will be rigged up to ensure no one has to wait out there to be let in. If this has not been clarified by organizers already, please consider contacting them for details.
Once inside, you’ll find a spacious wood-floored hall, open concept, tables and chairs set up throughout. The stage (accessible only via stairs) is to your left, and the washrooms towards the back of the hall. The washrooms are currently gendered, but sometimes will be marked “gender neutral”. There are two sets of washrooms. The one to the left of the bar is currently marked “men” is on the same level and is now wheelchair accessible, with 2 urinals and one wheelchair access stall and one non-wheelchair access stall. The one to the right of the bar, currently marked “women”, is wheelchair accessible with no urinals and one additional stall.
*update as of June 2013
Read the Radical Accessibility Mapping Project’s WISE Hall overview or complete audit.
2013: please note that a new, wheelchair accessible men’s bathroom has been created. The finishing touches are still being added, and the door has been adjusted to more easily fit wheelchair/scooter users, but overall the space is great.

Vancouver Poetry Slam featuring Brian "Koyote" McCracken
2017-05-29 20:00 - 22:00 | DMP-300×190
The Summer slam season is here which means an altered format from the rest of the year. During the Summer season poets are asked to perform up to 2 minute, 1 minute and 4 minute long poems. 12 poets in the first round 6 in the second and the top 3 scoring poets in the third round…barring any ties.
Poets who make the third round earn points towards making the Vancouver Individual World Poetry Slam Playoffs and a chance to go to IWPS in the U.S. and represent Vancouver at the Canadian Individual Poetry Slam in April 2018.
This week’s feature is Brian “Koyote” McCracken from Olympia, Washington. Brian is Poet, Rabblerouser, Truth-Seeker, and Wanderer! Organizer, Lover and Friend trying to get by in the Trump era of the United States.
It’s $6-$10 sliding scale. Sign up to perform is 7pm. Show starts at 8 o’clock.
This event along with our daily lives in Vancouver is taking place on the unceded territories of the Squamish, Musqueam and Tsleil-Waututh peoples.
We also strive to have trans friendly gender bending events inclusive of all orientations and experiences. Please help us do that.

Youth Slam "Almost Anything Goes Anarchy Slam" featuring Britta B.!
2017-05-22 20:00 - 22:30 | DMP-300×190
Every year we like to set aside one poetry slam where we invite poets to break the poetry slam rules to see what sort of creative mischief they can come up with.
Poets are encouraged to use props and costumes or to perform group pieces and cover poems to use the cafe space in wild and imaginative ways.
It’s our annual “almost anything goes anarchy slam” for poets 13-20 years of age.
We’ll also be featuring the return of Britta B. Britta was our 2013 Youth Slam Finals Feature and is FINALLY back!
“Britta B. is a spoken word poet and arts educator. Originally from Kingston, ON, she now resides in Toronto’s Regent Park. Britta has performed on stages across North America and continues to collaborate with community organizations like UNITY Charity, RISE Edutainment, Leave Out Violence Ontario (LOVE) and The Stephen Lewis Foundation. When she’s not writing or educating, Britta is emceeing breakdance battles, acting in community theatre plays and travelling abroad”
We acknowlege this event is taking place on unceded Squamish, Musqueam and Tsleil-Waututh territories.
We strive to be a trans friendly event. Please help in moving towards that goal.
Be kind to our volunteers. It’s cash only at the door and sometimes we fill the venue to capacity and folks have to wait in line. Please be patient if that happens to you.
$4 for 18 and under. $6-$10 for 19 and older.
rcarcee2@gmail.com

Chicken Session #26 Community Backyard Stage
2017-04-30 12:00 - 15:30 | Agendas & Minutes
House concert, poetry and story performance, potluck, party, and some Louisiana hospitality. Chicken Session #26 is a Sunday afternoon backyard brunch with Poet Al Mader and Musician Lexi Marie, as well as debut work by others in 12 open mic spots beforehand. Bring food to share!
Noon — Food and Socializing
1:00 pm Performances Begin including:
10 Open Mic spots for one piece (will be listed as they are signed up):

Frankie McGee
Kelsey Savage;
Francis Arevalo;
Deirdre Lee;
Fernando Raguero;
Erin Kirsh;
Jano;
Matt Miller;
Erin Dingle;
Santiago Ureña

2 Open Mic spots for two pieces:

The Hanging Cats
Julia Pileggi

Poet Al Mader aka Chicken’s Choice aka Poet Invited in Advance
Chicken’s Choice Musician Invited in Advance Lexi Marie will finish off the afternoon and bring us to the end of Verses Festival of Words 2017
This event is a scent-reduced space. To assist us in our goal of increased access, please be aware of our attempt to reduce the impact of personal scented products (perfumes, scented oils, etc) in our festival spaces.
Accessibility Info (provided by The Coop residents, not an accessibility expert):
The Coop is an old house with no accessibility modifications. There is a dirt driveway up to a large wide gate. The backyard is mostly grass with some gravel on path. If there has been little rain to make the ground soft, this is navigable by wheelchair and scooter. There is one small drop down from the side yard to the back. A makeshift ramp is provided.
The yard can also be entered from the paved back alley through a gate with no steps but a slight incline.
There is a bathroom on the ground floor level through two regular size doors with a one step drop down into the unit. If it rains, we will be on the main floor which is up a dozen stairs at front of the house or from backyard. Inside, everything is on the same level. The bathroom on that floor may be big enough to be accessible for a small wheelchair.

Canadian Individual Poetry Slam Finals
2017-04-29 20:00 - 23:00 | Annual General Meeting on May 25th
The top 12 poets from prelims advance to this bout. Who will claim the title of 2016 Canadian Individual Poetry Slam Champion? This closing match includes a feature presentation by the one and only Sheri-D Wilson.
Poets in the Finals will be performing three-minute poems. The first round will consist of twelve poets. The top seven highest-scoring poets will move on to the second round. Then, the top four highest-scoring poets from the second round move on to the third (and final) round. The highest-scoring poet in the third round becomes the 2017 Canadian Individual Poetry Slam Champion. It’s a blank slate each round, not cumulative score. The order in each round is determined by random draw.
The Rio Theatre may be completely sold out for this event. Buy your tickets early if you want to see this showcase of the very best poetry slammers from across Canada.

Canadian Individual Poetry Slam is produced in association with Spoken Word Canada, the official governing body of poetry slam in Canada. The past four winners of this event have gone on to represent English-Speaking Canada at the World Cup of Poetry in Paris.

Get your tickets now at Brown Paper Tickets here: http://cipsfinals.bpt.me
Admission to this event is included in your Verses Festival Pass. Verses Passes are available at Brown Paper Tickets here.
Doors at 7pm. Show starts at 8pm.
This show is All Ages (the balcony will be reserved for audience members 18 and younger while alcohol will be allowed on the ground level). It may contain strong language, controversial issues, and words that make you re-evaluate your life. General seating. Advance tickets are NOT mailed out they can be picked up at the Will Call station at the venue. Box office and Will Call will open with doors at 7pm. Tickets are non-refundable and non-transferrable.

This event is a scent-reduced space. To assist us in our goal of increased access, please be aware of our attempt to reduce the impact of personal scented products (perfumes, scented oils, etc) in our festival spaces.
Rio Theatre Accessibility Info:
Read the updated overview of The Rio Theatre (completed in February 2015) or the complete updated audit for detailed accessibility information. These documents are available thanks to the important work of the Radical Access Mapping Project​.

Radical (Re)Imaginings: Visions of a Queer Future Showcase
2017-04-29 15:00 - 17:00 | Havana Theatre, 1212 Commercial Drive, Vancouver, Canada
A showcase featuring recently created work by youth, and a set by each of poets Amal Rana, Molly Billows, and jaye simpson. Some of the performances will have been created the day before at the Radical (Re)Imaginings workshop with facilitators/youth mentors Rana and Billows, and some of it will be from the Tomorrow is Ours: IBPOC Futurisms workshop series that Billows and Rana have facilitated over the last few months.
$8 In Advance Available here on Brown Paper Tickets. http://radicalshowcase.bpt.me. $10 At Door. Cash only at door.
Admission to this event is included in your Verses Festival Pass. Verses Passes are available at Brown Paper Tickets here.
This event is a scent-reduced space. To assist us in our goal of increased access, please be aware of our attempt to reduce the impact of personal scented products (perfumes, scented oils, etc) in our festival spaces.
Havana Accessibility Info:
Havana Theatre is a mostly accessible venue. To reach the theatre, you must pass through the restaurant to the gallery space. On the right, is a black door leading into the theatre. There is a narrow hallway and two doors to access the performance space. This narrow hallway is possible for wheelchairs to pass through, but can be difficult for larger scooters to maneuver. There are no stairs. Washrooms are located at the end of a hallway which is maneuverable but also narrow.

Talk the Talk: Intersectionality and Arts Communities
2017-04-29 12:30 - 14:30 | Havana Theatre, 1212 Commercial Drive, Vancouver, Canada
Guided by two qualified facilitators, Sonmin Bong and Jen Sung, this talk asks participants to explore Kiberlé Crenshaw’s model of intersectionality in relation to artistic communities.
“Sonmin Bong is a first-generation Korean immigrant feminist who works, plays and, most importantly, loves on unceded Coast Salish territories.She is a host and producer of Vancouver’s explicitly feminist radio show, The F Word Media Collective, on Vancouver Co-op Radio CFRO. Her passion and interests include intersectionality, racial justice, food politics, cultural exchange, and interdependence. She is fuelled by womxn of colour’s righteous outrage, resistance, ancestral knowledge, and wisdom.”
“Jen Sung, also goes by artist name Jen Sungshine, is a queer Taiwanese artist-activist based in Vancouver, BC. A facilitator by trade, she works with creative technology and social justice media to evolutionize and revolutionize QTBIPOC visibility and community-based work through Love Intersections, Our City of Colours, Out in Schools and the Social Justice Institute at the University of British Columbia. Jen’s artistic practice involves learning through unlearning; and instead of calling you out, she wants to call you in, to make artful social change with her. In the audience, she looks for art in your interruption.”
Active listeners will be present for community care. Come prepared with questions, suggestions and a respectful voice.
This discussion is a free event. Seating cannot be reserved in advance.
American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation will be available for this event.

This event is a scent-reduced space. To assist us in our goal of increased access, please be aware of our attempt to reduce the impact of personal scented products (perfumes, scented oils, etc) in our festival spaces.
Havana Accessibility Info:
Havana Theatre is a mostly accessible venue.
To reach the theatre, you must pass through the restaurant to the gallery space. On the right, is a black door leading into the theatre. There is a narrow hallway and two doors to access the performance space. This narrow hallway is possible for wheelchairs to pass through, but can be difficult for larger scooters to maneuver. There are no stairs. Washrooms are located at the end of a hallway which is maneuverable but also narrow.

Canadian Individual Poetry Slam Day Two Bouts at Havana Theatre
2017-04-28 18:30 - 22:00 | Havana Theatre, 1212 Commercial Drive, Vancouver, Canada
Canada’s best performance poets show us their strongest two and three minute poems to decide who will advance to finals. These Day Two bouts at Havana Theatre are two of eight preliminary competitions that take place on Thursday and Friday nights here and at Cafe Deux Soleils during Verses Festival. The scores from these eight bouts determine the twelve poets who move on to compete in the Canadian Individual Poetry Slam Championship (CIPS) final match on Saturday night.
All poetry performances on the stage are judged by volunteer audience members. That’s what make this poetry game so great. Which means we need you!
BOUT 6 / 6:30 pm / Havana Theatre
BOUT 8 / 8:00 pm / Havana Theatre
Note the 6:30 start. Doors at 6. Get there early!

Advance tickets for this night (both bouts included) are available for $8 on Brown Paper Tickets here: http://cipsdaytwohavana.bpt.me. Or $10 at the door, cash only.
Admission to this event is included in your Verses Festival Pass. Verses Passes are available at Brown Paper Tickets here.

This event is a scent-reduced space. To assist us in our goal of increased access, please be aware of our attempt to reduce the impact of personal scented products (perfumes, scented oils, etc) in our festival spaces.
Accessibility Info:
Havana Theatre is a mostly accessible venue. To reach the theatre, you must pass through the restaurant to the gallery space. On the right, is a black door leading into the theatre. There is a narrow hallway and two doors to access the performance space. This narrow hallway is possible for wheelchairs to pass through, but can be difficult for larger scooters to maneuver. There are no stairs. Washrooms are located at the end of a hallway which is maneuverable but also narrow.

Canadian Individual Poetry Slam Day Two Bouts at Cafe Deux Soleils
2017-04-28 18:30 - 22:00 | Contact
The tension builds as Canada’s best slam poets show us their strongest two and three minute poems to decide who will advance to finals. These Day Two bouts at Cafe Deux Soleils are two of eight preliminary competitions that take place on Thursday and Friday nights here and at Havana Theatre during Verses Festival. The scores and rankings from these eight matches will be tallied after the bouts Friday night to determine the twelve poets who move on to compete in the Canadian Individual Poetry Slam Championship (CIPS) final match on Saturday night.
All poetry performances on the stage are judged by volunteer audience members. That’s what make this poetry game so great!
BOUT 5 / 6:30 pm / Cafe Deux Soleils
BOUT 7 / 8:00 pm / Cafe Deux Soleils
Note the 6:30 start. Doors at 6. Get there early!

Tickets for this night (both bouts included) are $10 at the door, cash only.
Admission to this event is included in your Verses Festival Pass. Verses Passes are available at Brown Paper Tickets here.
This event is a scent-reduced space. To assist us in our goal of increased access, please be aware of our attempt to reduce the impact of personal scented products (perfumes, scented oils, etc) in our festival spaces.
Accessibility Info:
Café Deux Soleils has been the main venue for the Vancouver Poetry Slam since 1999. It is sold out every Monday by fans of spoken word poetry. It is an iconic venue run by a staff that are friendly and promote progressive values.
Café Deux Soleils is a semi-accessible venue to wheelchairs and scooters. They have recently completely renovated the bathrooms, installing three ungendered stalls. However there is no wheelchair-accessible bathroom. Please read the full report from the Radical Accessibility Mapping Project for more details.

Radical (Re)Imaginings: Visions of a Queer Future: workshop with Amal Rana and Molly Billows
2017-04-28 11:30 - 14:30 | Havana Theatre, 1212 Commercial Drive, Vancouver, Canada
Moving beyond reacting to the systems that oppress us, and into future-building for the world/s we want to manifest, we will create work in our voices and perspectives that the universe urgently needs to hear. Youth can sign up to work with two deeply thoughtful and experienced mentors/community activists and artists to create writing that will be shared as part of Saturday afternoon’s showcase.

$20 in advance here from Brown Paper Tickets. http://reimaginings.bpt.me. $25 door, cash only.
Financial access options available. Contact jillian@versesfestival.ca to request arrangements.

This event is a scent-reduced space. To assist us in our goal of increased access, please be aware of our attempt to reduce the impact of personal scented products (perfumes, scented oils, etc) in our festival spaces.
Accessibility Info:
Havana Theatre is a mostly accessible venue. To reach the theatre, you must pass through the restaurant to the gallery space. On the right, is a black door leading into the theatre. There is a narrow hallway and two doors to access the performance space. This narrow hallway is possible for wheelchairs to pass through, but can be difficult for larger scooters to maneuver. There are no stairs. Washrooms are located at the end of a hallway which is maneuverable but also narrow.

Mighty Mike McGee & Friends with Sheri-D Wilson's Dragon Rouge Album Launch feat. The Orbiting Ouroboros
2017-04-27 22:00 - 23:59
Mike McGee knows how to throw a good party. Join in the latest edition of this epic bash, where Mike introduces us to talented and charming pals he has gathered along his journeys. The night begins with Sheri-D Wilson launching her new collection of poetry, ‘The Book of Sensations,’ and new CD ‘Dragon Rouge’ (co-produced with Steve Berlin). She’ll be joined by ‘The Orbiting Ouroboros’ (mega-musicians Barry Reynolds, Liam McDonald, Dave Bauer, Kenna Burima & Mark Williams).

Advance tickets can be purchased through Brown Paper Tickets here. http://mikemcgeeandsheri-d.bpt.me. At the door is cash only. There is an ATM downstairs in the lounge.
Admission to this event is included in your Verses Festival Pass. Verses Passes are available at Brown Paper Tickets here.

This event is a scent-reduced space. To assist us in our goal of increased access, please be aware of our attempt to reduce the impact of personal scented products (perfumes, scented oils, etc) in our festival spaces.
Accessibility Info for Wise Hall:
You’ll note on arrival a set of 10 railed stairs leading into the Hall. The wheelchair accessible entrance is around back. For this event there will be someone posted at the back door throughout the event.
Once inside, you’ll find a spacious wood-floored hall, open concept, tables and chairs set up throughout. The stage (accessible only via stairs) is to your left, and the washrooms towards the back of the hall. The washrooms are currently gendered, but will be marked “gender neutral” for Verses. There are two sets of washrooms. The one to the right of the bar, currently marked “women”, is wheelchair accessible with no urinals and one additional stall. The one to the left of the bar is currently marked “men” is on the same level and is now wheelchair accessible, with 2 urinals and one wheelchair access stall and one non-wheelchair access stall. The door has been adjusted to more easily fit wheelchair/scooter users. Overall the space is great.

Read the Radical Accessibility Mapping Project’s WISE Hall overview for complete audit.

Canadian Individual Poetry Slam Day One Bouts at Havana Theatre
2017-04-27 18:30 - 22:00
Forty of Canada’s best slam poets sling metaphors and match wits in four-minute and one-minute rounds. These Day One bouts at Havana Theatre are two of eight preliminary competitions that take place on Thursday and Friday nights here and at Cafe Deux Soleils during Verses Festival. The scores from these eight bouts determine the twelve poets who move on to compete in the Canadian Individual Poetry Slam Championship (CIPS) final match on Saturday night.
All poetry performances on the stage are judged by volunteer audience members. That’s what make this poetry game so great. Which means we need you!
BOUT 2 / 6:30 pm / Havana Theatre
BOUT 4 / 8:00 pm / Havana Theatre
Note the 6:30 start. Doors at 6. Get there early!

Advance tickets for this night (both bouts included) are available for $8 on Brown Paper Tickets here: http://cipsdayonehavana.bpt.me. Or $10 at the door, cash only.
Admission to this event is included in your Verses Festival Pass. Verses 2017 Early Bird Passes are available at Brown Paper Tickets here until April 10.

Accessibility Info:
Havana Theatre is a mostly accessible venue. To reach the theatre, you must pass through the restaurant to the gallery space. On the right, is a black door leading into the theatre. There is a narrow hallway and two doors to access the performance space. This narrow hallway is possible for wheelchairs to pass through, but can be difficult for larger scooters to maneuver. There are no stairs. Washrooms are located at the end of a hallway which is maneuverable but also narrow.

Canadian Individual Poetry Slam Day One Bouts at Cafe Deux Soleils
2017-04-27 18:30 - 22:00 | Contact
Forty of Canada’s best slam poets sling metaphors and match wits in four-minute and one-minute rounds. These Day One bouts at Cafe Deux Soleils are two of eight preliminary competitions that take place on Thursday and Friday nights here and at Havana Theatre during Verses Festival. The scores from these eight bouts determine the twelve poets who move on to compete in the Canadian Individual Poetry Slam Championship (CIPS) final match on Saturday night. All poetry performances on the stage are judged by volunteer audience members. That’s what make this poetry game so great.

BOUT 1 / 6:30 pm / Cafe Deux Soleils
BOUT 3 / 8:00 pm / Cafe Deux Soleils
Tickets for this night (both bouts included) are $10 at the door, cash only.
Admission to this event is included in your Verses Festival Pass. Verses Passes are available at Brown Paper Tickets here.
Note the 6:30 start. Doors at 6. Get there early!
Accessibility Info:
Café Deux Soleils has been the main venue for the Vancouver Poetry Slam since 1999. It is sold out every Monday by fans of spoken word poetry. It is an iconic venue run by a staff that are friendly and promote progressive values.
Café Deux Soleils is a semi-accessible venue to wheelchairs and scooters. They have recently completely renovated the bathrooms, installing three ungendered stalls. However there is no wheelchair-accessible bathroom. Please read the full report from the Radical Accessibility Mapping Project for more details.

Spoken Word as Theatre Masterclass with Charlie Petch
2017-04-27 15:00 - 17:30 | Havana Theatre, 1212 Commercial Drive, Vancouver, Canada
On the heels of their groundbreaking, tender, illuminating show Mel Malarkey Gets The Bum Rush, Charlie Petch breathes new life into old vaudevillian form. Learn the versatility and depth of long form cabaret-style storytelling, as Petch teaches us how to transform performance poetry into mesmerizing theatre that gives both audience and performer alike the opportunity to grow.
$40 Advance Available here on Brown Paper Tickets. http://charliepetchmasterclass.bpt.me. $50 At Door. Cash only.
Workshops are not included in Verses Festival Passes.
All Ages workshop.
This event is a scent-reduced space. To assist us in our goal of increased access, please be aware of our attempt to reduce the impact of personal scented products (perfumes, scented oils, etc) in our festival spaces.
Accessibility Info:
Havana Theatre is a mostly accessible venue. To reach the theatre, you must pass through the restaurant to the gallery space. On the right, is a black door leading into the theatre. There is a narrow hallway and two doors to access the performance space. These doors are not automatic but a door person will be present before the event. This narrow hallway is possible for wheelchairs to pass through, but can be difficult for larger scooters to maneuver. There are no stairs. Washrooms are located at the end of a hallway which is maneuverable but also narrow. The washrooms are gendered.
