Canada’s largest spoken word festival centers community action and resiliency
Vancouver Poetry House presents the 16th annual Verses Festival of Words from April 27–May 2, 2026, at Chill X Studio. The festival theme is “Intimate Dialogues,” a rumination on the smaller forms of communication that counter mass disinformation through intentional community-building and learning. The 2026 program features showcases of innovative spoken word artistry, workshops from acclaimed writers and thinkers, and the return of Verses’ annual flagship event: the Canadian Individual Poetry Slam (CIPS).
“Contemporary spoken word — as an art practice and social movement — is rooted in truth to power and resistance, especially in Black History, queer, BIPOC, neurodivergent, MAD, and marginalized spaces,” says Johnny D Trinh, artistic director of Vancouver Poetry House. “Folks will see that manifest on our stages for the 2026 Verses Festival of Words. Historically, resistance has always started with a whisper, intimate conversations in confidential spaces, that seeded and took root in many places. ‘Intimate Dialogues’ examines the ways in which 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’s edition will be headlined by SPIN El Poeta, a Guatemalan-born poet, cultural strategist, and educator whose work has moved stages across Turtle Island and Latin America for over 20 years. SPIN will be performing feature sets at the International Indigenous Poetry Slam on April 27 as well as the Canadian Individual Poetry Slam finals on May 2. Known for performances that fuse political clarity with deep emotional intelligence, SPIN’s poetry explores migration, masculinity, healing, and Immigrant–Indigenous friendship with precision and urgency. He has represented Canada internationally at the 2025 World Poetry Slam; 2024 Abya Yala Slam in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico; Painted By Poets in Atlanta; and he was a member of the Growhouse Tampa Slam Poetry team in 2024. Beyond the stage, SPIN has executive produced the LA Raza BIPOC Access Podcast and co-founded One Mic Educators and LA Raza Open Mic, platforms dedicated to uplifting Black, Indigenous, Latin American, and Palestinian artists.
On April 27, Oral Traditions: International Indigenous Poetry Slam celebrates Indigenous voices from across the globe. Co-produced with Derek Edenshaw of Native Hip Hop Society and Franz Seachel of Enabling Arts Society, this event invites folks who identify with Indigeneity to share their work in a poetry slam format.
The Canadian Individual Poetry Slam will take place over three days: two preliminary rounds on April 29 and 30, followed by the finals on May 2. The highly anticipated slam brings together 24 poets from across the country in a head-to-head, double elimination-style tournament. All CIPS events will also be streamed online at youtube.com/@PoetryLabTV.
Additional programming includes Hullabaloo, a four-day festival for youth where teams of poets learn from internationally acclaimed spoken word poets and compete together in a poetry slam. Notable featured poets this year include Apollo the Child, Miel Enage, and Becoming Christopher.
The 2026 Verses Festival of Words marks the culmination of Trinh’s four-year vision as artistic director. He says, “I hope festival goers will leave with full hearts and galvanized minds. I am confident audiences will experience a wide range of poetry, and enjoy some great shows that will bring humour, music, laughter, joy, power, rage, sex, love, and all the things to the microphone. But on a deep level, my hope for Verses 2026 is a clear message: We are here together, we will create a space that is safe enough to feel joy, and express everything we need to on the inside. After this festival is done, we will all remember that: we are still here.”
Tickets start from $10 and passes from $50, and are on sale now at vancouverpoetryhouse.com/
Verses Festival of Words: Public Festival Program
All events at Chill X Studio (2270 Manitoba St.)
Oral Traditions: International Indigenous Poetry Slam
Monday, April 27 at 8pm | Buy tickets
Co-produced with Derek Edenshaw, Native Hip Hop Society, and Franz Seachel, Enabling Arts Society, this event recognizes decolonizing efforts globally, amplifying human rights, and celebrating Indigenous voices with a feature performance by SPIN El Poeta. The poetry slam is open to folks who identify with Indigeneity. Prizes include $250 for 1st place, $150 for 2nd, and $100 for 3rd. Sign up at the door!
Captioning and Scoring Poems Workshop
Tuesday, April 28 at 3pm | Buy tickets
An exploration of best practices to support captioning of poems to support accessibility, and respond to audism and hearing supremacy, led by Vancouver Poet Laureate Elee Kraljii Gardiner, Elana Brief, and Dani Rodriguez.
Famous Last Words from Death Rides A Unicorn
Tuesday, April 28 at 6:30pm | Buy tickets
A hilarious evening of poetry games featuring some of Spoken Word’s favourite personalities. This event is hosted by poet, performer, and founder of the Canadian Individual Poetry Slam and Verses Festival of Words, Sean McGarragle.
Canadian Individual Poetry Slam (Preliminaries: Round 1)
Wednesday, April 29 at 7:30pm | Buy tickets
Also streamed online at youtube.com/@PoetryLabTV
The first round of competition begins as 24 of the best poets across Canada begin the tournament that will determine the 2026 Canadian Individual Poetry Slam Champion.
Writing Workshop with Skylar Kay
Thursday, April 30 at 2pm | Buy tickets
Alberta-based poet and grad school dropout Skylar Kay leads a writing workshop for poets. Her debut collection, Transcribing Moonlight (Frontenac House, 2022), earned a shortlist nod for the League of Canadian Poets’ Gerald Lampert Memorial Award for Poetry and won the Book Publishers Association of Alberta’s Robert Kroetsch Award for Poetry. Her second collection, There’s Magic Here Too (Frontenac House) released in fall 2025.
Canadian Individual Poetry Slam (Preliminaries: Round 2)
Thursday, April 30 at 7:30pm | Buy tickets
Also streamed online at youtube.com/@PoetryLabTV
The second round of CIPS narrows down the competition to determine the 2026 Canadian Individual Poetry Slam Champion.
Poetry Jam at Historic Joy Kogawa House
Friday, May 1 at 2pm | Buy tickets
This open workshop will invite all who are interested in spoken word to participate in a facilitated workshop that includes writing, performance, sharing, and receiving feedback.
Mashed Poetics
Friday, May 1 at 8pm | Buy tickets
Mashed Poetics is one of Vancouver’s longest running poetry showcases. An all-star line up of poets are invited to write poems in response to curated songs by the Mashed Poetics Band, who play covers of amazing hits for a live, in-person concert that brings together loud music and deep poetry into a fun-filled night. This year, Mashed Poetics celebrates the music of Tegan and Sara!
Stage to Page Showcase: Intimate Dialogues
Saturday, May 2 at 3pm | Buy tickets
Stage to Page returns with a showcase of work by poets such as Abdulsalam, Jeremy Loveday, Skylar Kay, Amber Dawn, and more exploring this year’s festival theme of “Intimate Dialogues.”
Canadian Individual Poetry Slam (Finals), feat. SPIN El Poeta
Saturday, May 2 at 8pm | Buy tickets
Also streamed online at youtube.com/@PoetryLabTV
After an intense preliminary competition, top poets compete to crown the 2026 CIPS champion in this ultimate flagship event. The finals also offers the incredible opportunity to see SPIN El Poeta, this year’s poet of honour, who will perform a feature set.
Photo Credit: Miquel Delamo
Vancouver Poetry House is supported by the Canada Council for the Arts, Canada Heritage, the City of Vancouver, and the Province of British Columbia through the BC Arts Council and the BC Gaming Policy and Enforcement Branch.
Verses Festival of Words shares stages with Enabling Arts Society, The Native Hip Hop Society, Death Rides a Unicorn, and Mashed Poetics. Partnerships with PuSh Festival, Historic Joy Kogawa House, Vancouver Acting School, and Vancouver Young Actors School make this programming possible. The festival is grateful for the support of members, sponsors, donors and volunteers.
About Vancouver Poetry House
Vancouver Poetry House (VPH) is the largest spoken word organization in Canada. VPH is dedicated to bringing poetry from diverse oral and literary traditions to Vancouver and British Columbia through three programs: Vancouver Poetry Slam, a weekly community stage with a headlining performer; WordPlay Poets, an outreach program that offers workshops and performances in schools and communities around BC; and Verses Festival of Words, Canada’s largest annual spoken word festival.