Vancouver Poetry House’s Verses Festival of Words

The 2026 Verses Festival of Words is thrilled to return from April 27–May 2, 2026, at Chill X Studio. This year’s theme, Intimate Dialogues, examines how we share connections, consume content, and whisper resilience in the face of global silencing and genocide. The programming focuses on gathering, community, shared learning, and amplifying voices in solidarity.

Highlights include the return of the annual Canadian Individual Poetry Slam (CIPS), taking place over three nights and featuring a performance by Spin El Poeta. This year’s Oral Traditions, an international Indigenous Poetry Slam, will be co-produced by Derek Edenshaw, Native Hip Hop Society, Franz Seachel, and Enabling Arts Society.

Other festival favourites coming back include Famous Last Words from Death Rides a Unicorn, a hilarious evening of poetry games featuring some of Canada’s favourite personalities. Mashed Poetics is one of the city’s longest running showcases that combines poetry with live music — an ensemble of Canada’s favourite poets create and perform poems inspired by musical hits performed by the Mashed Poetics cover band led by Spillious the Ridiculous.