Sources: www.facebook.com/events/192269977941852/ http://versesfestival.ca/event/black-lives-matter-showcase/ Location: The Cultch 1895 Venables Street, Vancouver, British Columbia V5L 2H6 Time: Monday, April 24 at 3 PM - 5 PM Black Lives Matter Vancouver is the local chapter of the international group of activists calling for an end to police brutality, and aiming to lift up Black voices. Curated by Cicely-Belle Blain and hosted by Holly Bishu, this showcase gives space to the artists within the movement, paying respect to the tireless intersectional work they have been doing here in Vancouver and giving audiences a chance to participate in the language of resistance. Together we celebrate and give thanks for their bold and resilient work. Performers: Afrodykie Zoe Hannah Ali Holly Bishu Kona Katranya Youeal Abera Ivan Leonce This event is at the Cultch Historic Theatre. Advance tickets for $10 (includes service charge) will be available soon at the Cultch Box Office online here: https://thecultch.com/events/black-lives-matter/ $12 (includes service charge) at the door at the Cultch Box Office. Show is at 3:00. Admission to this event is included in your Verses Festival Pass. Verses 2017 Passes are available at Brown Paper Tickets http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2925794 ASL interpretation pending. Update: ***unfortunately despite efforts to secure interpretation for today it will not be available for this event - All other events with interpretation listed are still covered and confirmed for ASL inclusion. *** This event is a scent-reduced space. To assist in our goal to increase accessibility to Verses 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. Accessibility Info: The Cultch recently underwent major renovations, which included increasing accessibility for people with disabilities. All areas but the balcony are wheelchair accessible. You can purchase tickets at the lowered counter outside, then enter the main space via the wide automatic door. Once inside, there is a vestibule leading into the main open-concept lobby. Continuing on, you will find three washroom options: a fully wheelchair accessible single stall gender-neutral washroom, and for Verses, two gender-neutral washrooms each with a wheelchair accessible stall. Staff are friendly and able to assist in a variety of ways. Seats in the Cultch Historic Theatre have arms and are 18-1/2 inches wide. Arms can be removed on some seats by request. There is no designated wheelchair accessible parking, but there is street parking around the neighbourhood. As well, there are two parking spots that can be used at the rear of the building. We suggest that people call the box office ahead of time to reserve access to these spaces. There is wheelchair accessible transit within 2 blocks, and bicycle lock-ups outside. Please note, the Historic Theatre balcony is only accessible via the staircase. Optional: If you have any questions, concerns, additions or corrections regarding this accessibility audit please email [email protected]. Note from archivists: Hanna Ali did not end up performing at the event (Amanda and Jane were in the audience).
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Source: https://www.facebook.com/events/1886294274946642/ Location: The Wise Hall & Lounge 1882 Adanac Street, Vancouver, British Columbia V5L 2E2 Time: Sunday, April 23 at 8 PM - 10:30 PM Saul Williams is no stranger to conversations that permeate the collective minds of the diaspora. Reparations are within reach and he has a list of demands waiting to unravel from the tip of his revolutionary tongue. Bolstered by the work of local activists and artists Kimmortal, Eugene Boulanger, Khari Wendell McClelland and Dawn Pemberton, Williams takes to the stage to gather workers for the resistance that is at our doorsteps.
"come, my love we have oceans to sail" -- Saul Williams, Said the Shotgun to the Head $25 advance/ $30 door Advance tickets available here: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2907542 Doors at 7. Show at 8. Admission to this event is included in your Verses Festival Pass. Verses 2017 Passes are available at Brown Paper Tickets http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2925794 This event is a scent-reduced space. To assist in our goal to increase accessibility to Verses 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. 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 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. Location: The Wise Hall & Lounge 1882 Adanac Street, Vancouver, British Columbia V5L 2E2 Time: Sunday, April 23 at 12 PM - 2 PM “Williams has been breaking ground since his debut album, Amethyst Rock Star, was released in 2001. After gaining global fame for his poetry and writings at the turn of the century, Williams has performed in over 30 countries and read in over 300 universities, with invitations that have spanned from the White House, the Sydney Opera House, Lincoln Center, The Louvre, The Getty Center, Queen Elizabeth Hall, to countless villages, townships, community centers, and prisons across the world.”
His most recent work is Martyr Loser King (2016). "Written and recorded between Senegal, Reunion Island, Paris, Haiti, and New Orleans and New York, Martyr Loser King is a multimedia project that engages the digital dialogue between the 1st and 3rd Worlds, and the global street sounds that yoke the two." (saulwilliams.com) Other works: US(a.) (2015), The Dead Emcee Scrolls (2006), Said the Shotgun to the Head (2003). We are honoured to host him as one of our performers and facilitators in this year’s festival. $40 advance /$50 door You can get your advance tickets here: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2915711 This event is a scent-reduced space. To assist in our goal to increase accessibility to Verses 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. 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 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. Location: Havana Theatre, 1212 Commercial Drive, Vancouver, Canada Time: Thursday, April 28, 2016 at 3 PM - 5 PM Your Poem is Lasagna, Layered.
Join 2010 World Poetry Slam champion Ian Keteku as he explores the layers beneath a poem and performance. Many times performance poets unintentionally come across as preachy, ranting, angry. How do we get our “message” to be effectively communicated? How do we intentionally dig beneath the layers to find the truth of our story? Keteku has coached two championship teams and assisted countless others in finding the deeper and layered truth behind the issues and topics poets choose to write about. Searching for the actual truth, not the truth we hope is true or think should be true helps us communicate better, opens up doors for creativity and in a slam context equates to higher scores. Participants are asked to bring writing utensils and concepts for poems they hope to write one day. Do not come in with poems you are unwilling to have changed. This event is all ages. Tickets are available via Brown Paper Tickets. Masterclass entry is not included in Festival Pass. http://ianketekumasterclass.brownpapertickets.com/ Accessibility Info: Havana Theatre is an 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, but no stairs. The hallway to the washrooms is very narrow, accessible for wheelchairs, possibly tight for scooters Location: Havana Theatre 1212 Commercial Drive, Vancouver, British Columbia Time: Thursday, April 10, 2014 at 12:30 PM - 2:30 PM Vancouver Poetry House presents...
The third of four Spoken Word Masterclasses at this year's Verses Festival of Words - taught by Ikenna ‘OpenSecret’ Onyegbula - will explore what it means to "be in your poems" while simultaneously connecting with your audience. Performing spoken word poetry at the highest level is not only achieved through the mastering of different technical concepts. What are some of the more nuanced emotional and intuitive aspects of performance? This workshop will explore what it means to embody your poetry on stage and connect to your audience from a more natural and holistic perspective. Using his own experiences and success as foundation, Ikenna will expose and discuss some of the more nuanced and creative approaches to turning the odds in your favour in poetry slams. There are 25 seats available in this 2-hour workshop and tickets are $30. Please bring a notebook, a writing utensil and a willingness to participate! Tickets: http://versesfestival.ca/wp/event/spoken-word-masterclass-with-ikenna-opensecret-onyegbula/ Accessibility Info: http://versesfestival.ca/wp/venue/havana-theatre/ Location: Tuesday, April 8, 2014 at 12 PM - 3 PM Time: Astorino's 1739 Venables Street, Vancouver, BC Vancouver Poetry House presents...
The second of four Spoken Word Masterclasses at the Verses Festival of Words this year, d'bi young is teaching a workshop all about her methodology S.O.R.P.L.U.S.I. S.O.R.P.L.U.S.I. is an acronym representing an arts-based personal and professional development methodology that emerges out of Dub Poetry and is founded on eight guiding principles of Self-knowledge, Orality, Rhythm, Political content & context, Language of communication, Urgency, Sacredness, and Integrity. The methodology – based on the seminal work of pioneer Dub Poet Anita Stewart and developed by her daughter d’bi.young anitafrika – is an approach to artistic creation that (a) focuses on the holistic development of the artist in the process of creating their work; and (b) equips the artist with the tools to help others to develop as well. The method is unique in that its approach is holistic, emphasizing creative, physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual growth, as well as it uses the individual’s lived-experience as catalyst for all explorations. Through meticulous excavation of each principle, using a range of meditations, movement, games, creative exercises, techniques, and readings, the artist learns how to engage in self-analysis and reflection while developing a critical-analytical framework and an oppression-awareness point-of-view, both of which become central to their personal and creative process. Each Sorplusi principle is a challenge to individual artists to be continually self-aware, self-implicating, and honest before, during, and after generating artistic creations. Sorplusi affirms each artist’s accountability to and responsibility for (in other words to account for and respond to) their communities, co-creating a comprehensive eco-system in which artists and community members are mutually accountable, responsible and empowered to affect social change in their lives. the methodology can be applied as a training and developmental tool in diverse contexts such as in schools (at all grade levels), teacher-training courses, and community workshops. All workshop participants need to bring a notebook, a writing utensil, and a willingness to participate! There are 25 seats available in this 3-hour workshop and tickets are $30. Tickets: http://versesfestival.ca/wp/event/spoken-word-masterclass-with-dbi-young/ Accessibility Info: http://versesfestival.ca/wp/venue/astorinos/ Source: https://www.facebook.com/events/502332913146326/ Location: Havana Theatre, 1212 Commercial Drive, Vancouver, British Columbia Time: Saturday, April 13, 2013 at 2 PM The Great Black North is a contemporary remix of the story of Black Canada. Told through the intertwining tapestry of poetic forms found on the page and stage, The Great Black North presents some missing pieces of the jigsaw puzzle that help fit together a poetic picture of the Black Canadian experience.
Poets from the anthology reading at this event are: Kevan Cameron, Dr. Mason-John aka ‘Queenie’, Wayde Compton, Adelene da Soul Poet, and Lillian Allen. The event will be hosted by Jillian Christmas (who is also in the anthology). Many African Canadians know their history in North America since the 17th century. However, the rest of the world may be unaware of the history of enslaved Africans and slave auctions north of the 49th parallel, as well as the free Blacks, Loyalists and Maroons who made their journeys to the “promised land” of Canada. The Great Black North should be a valuable resource for the preservation of culture that is written and/or performed as dub poetry, spoken word and slam. At the heart of this book is a poetic blend of literary and oral traditions that recognizes the past and present as they form a tangible foundation for future generations of poets. This collection of over 90 poets documents the many styles that Black Canadians use to express themselves. The rhythms felt in The Great Black North stem from the vibrant pulse of poets such as the much translated and internationally honoured Africadian George Elliott Clarke who has just been appointed Toronto’s fourth Poet Laureate; Ian Keteku, who was crowned the 2010 World Poetry Slam champion; Lillian Allen, founder of the dub poetry tradition in Canada; and Afua Cooper, who brought to light the hanging of an enslaved African woman, Marie Joseph Angélique, for the alleged burning of Montreal in 1734. Find out more at: http://blackcanadianpoetry.com/ About the editors: Dr. Mason-John is an award-winning writer. Her first novel Borrowed Body (renamed The Banana Kid) won the Mind Book of the Year Award, and was named the British Color Purple by the UK media. Mason-John began her writing career as an international correspondent covering Australian Aboriginal Land Rights and Black Deaths in custody, Sinn Fein Prisoners in Northern Ireland, political unrest, education, and the arts. She is the author of four non-fiction books, one award winning novel, and a collection of poetry, prose and plays, as well as having several plays produced. Kevan Anthony Cameron, also known as Scruffmouth is a scribe, spoken poet, performer and proud co-editor of The Great Black North. He is a veteran of the poetry slam scene in North America and aims to “edutain” with his work that focuses on knowledge of self, identity and vocalizing the stories of people of African descent at home and abroad. Kevan was born in Edmonton, Alberta to Jamaican parents. Doors at 2pm, show at 2:30pm. This show is All Ages. Tickets $5. Early Bird Festival Passes, $40, available until March 7th: http://versesfestival.ca/wp/shop/ Source: https://www.facebook.com/events/476004039133227/ Location: Café Deux Soleils, 2096 Commercial Drive, Vancouver, British Columbia Time: Thursday, April 11, 2013 at 9:30 PM Lillian Allen, pioneer of dub-poetry, ground breaker for women in her field performs at Thursday’s latenight show.
Two-time Juno Award winning dub poet, Lillian Allen performs a politically-infused style of poetry which has turned the heads of not simply judges and patrons, but government officials as well. Assertive while remaining rhythmic, Allen is often cited as a pioneer of this genre of poetry, known for its tendency toward politicized lyricisms. Playwright, producer, director, musician and poet, Allen’s comprehension of the facets of performance is vast, varied and experienced. Unafraid of labeling herself with the f-word (feminist), her work has been termed groundbreaking for women, and in 1991 her first album, Revolutionary Tea Party, was declared a Landmark Album of the Past 20 Years by Ms. Magazine. As a playwright she has produced One Bedroom With Dignity (1987), Love & Other Strange Things (1991 and 1993), and the radio play Marketplace(1995). Her creativity also extends to film, as co-producer and co-director of Blak Wi Blakk…, a documentary on Jamaican dub poet Mutabaruka. Beyond writing, Lillian is a recognized authority and activist on issues of diversity in culture, cross cultural learning, and the arts in education. Allen’s political themes and depth of vision are woven in an enchanting and unique blend of orality and the written word. Her poetic voice has spread beyond international poetry circles and music scenes into corners of the African Diaspora and across the spectrum of society. Doors at 9:30pm, show at 10pm. This show is All Ages. Tickets $8 in advance, $10 at the door. Early Bird Festival Passes, $40, available until March 7th: http://versesfestival.ca/wp/shop/ Detailed accessibility info Venue is wheelchair accessible, with no wheelchair accessible washrooms. Thanks to Radical Access Mapping Project for this information. ([email protected]) Source: https://www.facebook.com/events/990828224263391/ Location: Roots Lounge (1025 Commercial Dr) Time: Wednesday, April 20, 2011 at 7:30 PM - 11 PM Lillian Allen, pioneer of dub-poetry, ground breaker for women in the field performs in conjunction with the Black Dot Roots Collective (BDRCC, BeDRoCC). Hosted by Scruffmouth.
Two-time Juno Award winning dub poet, Lillian Allen performs a reggae backed, politically infused style of poetry which has turned the heads of not simply judges and patrons, but government officials as well. Assertive while remaining rhythmic, Allen is often cited as a pioneer of this genre of poetry, known for its tendency toward politicized lyricisms. Playwright, producer, director, musician and poet, Allen’s comprehension of the facets of performance is vast, varied and experienced. Unafraid of labeling herself with the f-word (feminist), her work has been termed groundbreaking for women, and in 1991 her first album, Revolutionary Tea Party, was declared a Landmark Album of the Past 20 Years by Ms. Magazine. As a playwright she has produced One Bedroom With Dignity (1987), Love & Other Strange Things (1991 and 1993), and the radio play Marketplace(1995). Her creativity also extends to film, as co-producer and co-director of Blak Wi Blakk…, a documentary on Jamaican dub poet Mutabaruka. Beyond writing, Lillian is a recognized authority and activist on issues of diversity in culture, cross cultural learning, and the arts in education. Allen’s political themes and depth of vision are woven in an enchanting and unique blend of orality and the written word. Her poetic voice has spread beyond international poetry circles and music scenes into corners of the African Diaspora and across the spectrum of society. Lillian Allen lives in Toronto and teaches creative writing at the Ontario College of Art and Design. Praise for Lillian Allen “Remarkable and innovative, influential and ingenious.” — Ms. “Allen’s dub poetry complicates perceived Western notions of history, literature, language, culture, and nation, and intersects categories of race, gender, and class.” — ARIEL: A Review of International English Literature “Raises a lot of consciousness.” — Word Magazine The Black Dot Roots & Culture Collective (BDRCC, BeDRoCC) is an organization of indigenous peoples who identify with the Black experience through African descent and are committed to the education of youth and adults, creation of art and the celebration of heritage at home and abroad through sharing our knowledge and stories. Our vision is connecting the dots of the community so we can all see the big picture. The host for the evening will be Scuffmouth. His poetry has been published in We Have A Voice: An Anthology of African & Caribbean Student Writing; Blood Ink: A University of Alberta Literary Journal; as well as self-published chapbooks The Seventh Sense (2008) & Choose Your Revolution (2008 w/Van Poetry Slam). He has performed and featured as a spoken word artist and slam poet at the Vancouver Poetry Slam since 2004. When: Wednesday, 20 April 2011, 7:30pm doors open, 8pm show starts Where: Roots Lounge (1025 Commercial Dr) How Much: $10. Tickets available through the online Box Office: http://vancouverpoetryfestival.com/buy-tickets/ Vancouver Poetry Festival's full event listings: http://vancouverpoetryfestival.com/events-listing/ |
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