Verses 2026 – Festival Overview

Johnny Trinh, Artistic Director Statement

The 2026 Verses Festival of Words marks the culmination of a four-year vision of Executive Artistic Director Johnny D Trinh, with the theme: Intimate Dialogues. Upon the return of in-person programming, the festival’s focus has been centred on gathering, community, shared learning, amplifying voices in solidarity, and being in space together. Intimate Dialogues examines how we share connections, consume content, and whisper resilience in the face of global silencing and genocide. 

The featured artists this year all have work that resonates with different facets of quiet resilience, agitation, intimacy, solidarity, and navigating shared space. 

This year Hullabaloo returns with an all-star line up of poets for the Youth Festival, featuring: Apollo the Child, Miel Enage, and Becoming Christopher.

The main Verses Festival Programming will once again be hosted at Chill-X Studios.

For a full listing of festival programming, please visit Upcoming Events

Purchase your VERSES FESTIVAL PASS here: https://www.zeffy.com/en-CA/ticketing/verses-2026-festival-pass