Author Archive

The Vancouver Poetry House AGM will be held:

Sunday March 7
3-4 pm
Cafe Deux Soleils
2096 Commercial Drive

Agenda includes
-Financial, President’s and Program Reports
-Election of Officers
-New Business

Membership renewals are due at the AGM. Membership must be current to participate in the AGM and to vote. Membership fee is $5. Yes, you can buy memberships at the AGM itself.

Hope to see you there!

On January 31st, the Vancouver Poetry Slam will be having a Van Slam Family Meeting to discuss and decide on the following topics/projects…

So for those that are interested…

The January Van Slam Family meeting will be held on January 31st at 6:30 PM at the Brittania Community Centre (1661 Napier Street) , specifically at the Learning Resource Centre. We’ve rented the space for 2 1/2 hours and I hope we finish in 1 hour but on the off chance we can’t eat through everything in the first hour and a half we’ll take a break then for 5 or 10 and then come back and go through the rest.

1) VOTING: The election of the local slammaster
2) INFORMATIONAL: Finals Night at the Rio
3) INFORMATIONAL: Canadian Indies
4) Possibly something from the Rules Committee
5) VOTING: Changing the Youth Slam proceeds from going from half to Van Slam and half to the youth slam to all going to the Youth Slam
6) VOTING: The purchasing of a video camera for the slam for the purpose of video taping and posting on youtube, our myspace, website and facebook groups poems from the 2nd round of each and every slam
7) VOTING: The Rookie of the Year Award
8) VOTING: Proposed Van Slam Budget for 2010 and financial update

All of the topics have been posted for discussion on the Vancouver Poetry House forum so please chime in on any and all topics there.

Hope to see you all there,

Sean and Duncan

The Vancouver Poetry Slam’s second annual Women of the World playoff bout might have been the best show of the winter. Café Deux Soleils was cram-packed, and there was a line of people waiting to get in for much of the show. Jessica was on-point as host and ringmaster, exhorting the crowd to yell “Vagina” through the whole evening. Gyno-power was in overdrive, and it was awesome to behold. Our feature Lisa Slater demonstrated why she’s been one of the best in the city for several years now.

The poets competing had qualified for this bout by scoring highly in slams over the past few months. The top eight point-getters who earned a spot in last night’s battle were: Antonette, Julie Peters, Katrina, Magpie Ulysses, Marcela, Shannon Rayne, Sonya Littlejohn, and Tessa. They all brought poetic thunder to the stage in a back and forth bout that wasn’t decided until the third and final round.

In the end, the winner was the poetic tower of power, Julie Peters!

She will be Vancouver’s rep at the Women of the World poetry slam, held in Columbus, Ohio from March 10-13.

From Sean McGarragle the Vancouver Poetry Slam Slammaster:

This is an announcement for the upcoming Van Slam Family meeting where we will be discussing and voting on many things from a proposed new points system to the election of a new Van Slam International Slammaster. The agenda is listed bellow.

Anyone can attend the meeting. But to be able to vote you need to have attended (volunteered, performed, being a judge or just an audience member) at least 4 times in the past 6 months at a Vancouver Poetry Slam event.

Van Slam Meeting August 30th
Location: The Learning Centre in the Brittania Community Centre Complex
1661 Napier Street
Time: 2:00 PM till 4:00 PM

Items on the Agenda:

1) Proposed Rules Changes from the Rules Committee with regards to the qualification for the Van Slam playoffs (discussion here: http://vancouverpoetryhouse.com/forum/smf/index.php/topic,684.0.html)
2) Proposed Rule Changes with regards to the maximum number of slam one can compete in during the regular season
3) The election of a new International Slammaster (Lisa Slater is not seeking re-election) If you are interested in running for this position let Sean know. (discussion here:http://vancouverpoetryhouse.com/forum/smf/index.php/topic,580.0.html)
4) Introduction of our wonderful new volunteer coordinator
5) Proposal with regards to recording all of the regular season slams from Warren Dean Fulton
6) Promotion of the Honour Code at the Slam
7) Update on T-Shirt and Cd Sales from Chris Gilpin
8) Update from Lisa Slater and RC Weslowski from NPS
9) Update on the weekly slams from Sean McGarragle
10) Preview of the Upcoming season and CFSW from Sean McGarragle

The meeting will not last longer than 1 hour and 45 minutes. We will be starting on time, please do not be late. And if you’re unsure where it is I will be in front of the Brittania Library at 1:30 PM. Hope to see you all there.

The 2008-09 edition of the Vancouver Poetry Slam’s Finals Night was a raging success, selling out the Rio Theatre. Over 450 poetry fans packed the place, booing and cheering, as eight poets vied for four spots on the Vancouver Slam Poetry Team. That’s the largest audience for a Finals Night since the Vancouver Poetry Slam started in 1996. The continued growth of audience interest in this grassroots arts movement proves that performance poetry is more popular than ever in Vancouver.

After three rounds of poetic jousting, RC Weslowski emerged as this year’s Grand Slam Champ. Joining him on the Van Slam Poetry Team will be Johnny Macrae, Nora Smithhisler and Chris Gilpin. Duncan Shields and Steve Miller tied for the team’s alternate spot.

This is Nora’s third team in four years. Chris Gilpin’s second consecutive team. And RC’s sixth team in, well, a decade or so. The only other person who has been on six teams in Shane Koyczan, who put in a killer feature set, breaking out several pieces from his new CD “Shut Up and Say Something”.

Thanks to Sue McIntyre for organizing all our awesome volunteers. Thanks to Sean McGarragle for hosting, and being a fantastic slammaster. Thanks to the Svelte Ms. Spelt for bout managing. And thanks to the staff of the Rio Theatre for helping make the night such a big success.

Vancouver Poetry House
Annual General Meeting
February 16, 2009

PRESIDENT’S REPORT

Since our last AGM in March of 2008, Vancouver Poetry House has gone through a number of changes while continuing with our core programs.

Vancouver Poetry Slam had its first full year of new leadership and weekly slams. Participation at youth and alt slams as well as at regular slams has increased steadily. Additional significant accomplishments include the creation of a Van Slam Constitution and Honour Code, and the creation of a Rules Committee. The Slam has also received a grant from the Canada Council for the Arts. This has been used to fund performances by spoken word artists from across Canada at our slam.

Word Play Poetry in the Schools program continued to provide poetry workshops in local schools. After a brief rest period, the program has undergone a reorganization, involving more poets in direct outreach to schools.

In July, Poetry House participated in the Summer Dreams Reading Festival. In October, we hosted a workshop about sexual harassment and sex role stereotyping in the arts community.

The Vancouver Poetry House website was re-designed. Participation in site’s forum has steadily increased this year.

Current projects include: The presentation of the Salt Lines Tour in March, and Van Slam Finals Night – moving to the Rio Theatre.

Thank you to everyone who has done the work of Poetry House this year, volunteers, board members and participants in all of our activities. Thanks and best wishes to our outgoing Board members and welcome to those who will be joining us for the coming year.

Vancouver Poetry House
Annual General Meeting
February 16, 2009
Café Deux Soleils

MINUTES

1. Call to Order
The meeting was called to order at 6:40pm with 9 members in attendance.

2. Welcome and Introductions

3. Agenda

4. Minutes of Annual General Meeting , March 19, 2008
Motion to approve the minutes of the last AGM of Poetry House.
M: Chris Gilpin S:Sean McGarragle Approved

5. Reports

President – See attached

Treasurer - Current Bank Balances (as of February 15, 2009)
General Account $5,457.00
Wordplay $1,606.51
VanSlam $8,956.65
VanSlam Youth $1,234.17
Membership $56.59
Total $17,310.92

The bank balance is $7,000 more than it was this time last year.

Motion to accept the Treasurer’s report as presented.
M: Warren Fulton S: Lisa Slater Approved

WordPlay
Workshops continue at local schools with good participation by poet facilitators and positive response from students and teachers.

Community Workshops
In July, we hosted a chapbook-making workshop at the Summer Dreams Festival of Literary Arts. In October we hosted a workshop about sex role stereotyping in the arts community.

Van Slam
This year, Vancouver Poetry Slam has developed its governance processes with the formalization of a Van Slam Constitution and Honour Code, and the election of a Rules Committee. Attendance by audience and participation by poets has increased significantly. Support is being provided to hosts and volunteers to help the shows run smoothly. A Canada Council for the Arts Grant is helping us to bring more feature artists to the slam from across Canada. A special focus has been placed on female feature poets.

6. Election of Officers

The following Directors finished their terms at this meeting. They are thanked for their work for Poetry House:

Chrystalene Buhler
Sue Cormier
Martin Fietkiewicz
Warren Dean Fulton
Randy Jacobs
Shannon Pidlubny
RadaR Poet

Nominations were opened. The following people were nominated and elected to two-year terms, expiring at the 2011 AGM:

Martin Fietkiewicz
Warren Dean Fulton
Randy Jacobs
RadaR Poet
Clint Wilson

7. New Business

Meeting Venue – The members present engaged in a short discussion of the venue for Directors’ Meetings. It was agreed that this would be dealt with at the next Director’s meeting.

8. Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 7:10pm.

Our Annual General Meeting will take place:

Monday, February 16
6:30-7:30pm
Cafe Deux Soleils - 2096 Commercial Drive

All members are welcome to attend. To vote, you must renew your membership. Membership fee is $2.

Agenda:

Minutes of 2008 AGM
Reports
Elections

Nominations for membership on the Board of Directors are open. Contact President Sue McIntyre to nominate someone, or for information.

vanpohouse@yahoo.ca

These Directors have terms ending at our AGM on Feb 16:

Chrystalene Buhler
Sue Cormier
Martin Fietciewicz
Warren Dean Fulton
Randy Jacobs
Shannon Pidlubny
RadaR Poet

(some were elected at the AGM in March 2007. Some have been appointed by the Board since the AGM of March 2008, and so need to be elected at a General Meeting.)

The Directors whose terms will expire at the AGM in early 2010 are:

Trevor Groves
Sean McGarragle
Sue McIntyre
Lisa Slater

Since the last AGM, the following Board Members have resigned:
Angus Adair, Steve Duncan, Jim McKnight

Yes, VPH.com has upgraded once more. There’s much greater usability, extended functionality, and a lot more media content!

Over the next few days, I’ll be ironing out all the little bugs that are a normal transition to a new website. The Gallery page will return shortly, for instance. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to email me videochris@gmail.com

Your friendly webmaster,
Chris Gilpin

THE VANCOUVER POETRY SLAM

http://www.myspace.com/vancouverpoetryslam

http://vancouverpoetryhouse.com/

CONTINUES

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CAFÉ DEUX SOLEILS: 2096 COMMERCIAL DRIVE

EVERY MONDAY OF EVERY MONTH

THE NEXT REGULAR SEASON POETRY SLAM

IS

MONDAY DECEMBER 15TH

FEATURING

TAALAM ACEY

Taalam Acey is considered by many to be the central Spoken Word artist of the current generation. He’s published a novel, a comprehensive collection of poems, an award winning memoir and 9 Spoken Word CDs. Taalam has been a full time traveling poet since 1999. Tens of thousands of people own his work and hundreds of thousands have watched him live or via television and the internet. Acey performs regularly in more than 50 cities in the US and abroad. On average, he is on a plane once every 3.5 days. That’s 100 flights per year to promote Spoken Word.

http://www.taalamacey.com/

THIS WILL ALSO BE ANOTHER QUALIFYING SLAM

FOR THE WOMEN OF THE WORLD POETRY SLAM PLAYOFFS IN JANUARY

AND

THE VAN SLAM TEAM PLAYOFFS NEXT APRIL

DOORS AND POET SIGN UP AT 8PM

OPEN MIC AT 8:40

SLAM STARTS AT 9 PM

STILL ONLY $5

THE BEST ENTERTAINMENT DEAL IN TOUGH ECONOMIC TIMES

If your between the ages of 13-22 it’s your last chance to step up to the mic at the Vancouver Youth Poetry Slam in 2008.

Where: Cafe Deux Soleils, 2096 Commercial Drive
When: 8pm

Our feature is Dakota Belle Witt from Eugene, Oregon. She is amazing. You might remember her from the 2005 Eugene Slam Team that participated in the Salmon Slam that summer.

http://www.myspace.com/dakotabellewittpoetry

Dakota Belle Witt has been called slam poetry for people who hate slam poetry. Her work is character driven and lends itself to magical whimsy paired with sharp comedy and tragedy fused together. Even though she is a regular performer at the Oregon Country Fair and has served on the Eugene Poetry Slam team both as coach and performer for many years, she does not self-identify as a hippie. She has peddled her poetics across the globe from London to New York to Canada and back again. Most recently she has been seen at the Out/Loud Womens music festival and on tour with the sister cabaret act Vermillion Lies. She loves you.

It’s $3 for 18 and under. $5 for 19 and older. Christmas break will be in full swing so we should have a full slew of poets ready to read and rock and speak for themselves.

For more info contact RC Weslowski:
Phone:     604.215.9230
Email:   weslowhiskey@direct.ca