Verses Festival of Words – Canada’s Largest Spoken Word Festival
The Verses Festival of Words, presented by Vancouver Poetry House, is Canada’s largest spoken word festival. The theme of the 16th annual festival this year is “Intimate Dialogues,” a rumination on the smaller forms of communication that counter mass disinformation through intentional community-building and learning.
Verses Festival of Words
- Dates: April 27 to May 2, 2026
- Location: Chill X Studio (2270 Manitoba St, Vancouver)
- Tickets: Available now starting from $10, passes from $50
The 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.”
Featured Events
Oral Traditions: International Indigenous Poetry Slam
Monday, April 27 at 8:00pm – 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 3:00pm – 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 – 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 – 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. This will also be streamed online.
Writing Workshop with Skylar Kay
Thursday, April 30 at 2:00pm – 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 – The second round of CIPS narrows down the competition to determine the 2026 Canadian Individual Poetry Slam Champion. This will also be streamed online.
Poetry Jam at Historic Joy Kogawa House
Friday, May 1 at 2:00pm – 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 8:00pm – 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 3:00pm – 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 8:00pm – 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.
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