Artistic Development

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.

Celebrate Youth Week with a Poetry Slam

Poetry House joins with Burnaby Library, Burnaby Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services and Legacies 2010 to host a Youth Slam and Graffiti Art Night during Youth Week in Burnaby. This event is open to poets ages 13-18 years. A poetry and spoken word workshop a couple of weeks ahead of the event will help poets prepare their work for the slam.

Poetry and Spoken Word Workshop
Thursday, April 17, 7-9pm
Summit Youth Centre
200 Willingdon Avenue, Burnaby
Facilitators: Shannon Rayne and RC Weslowski
The workshop is free and open to poets of all styles and experience levels.

Graffiti Art and Youth Slam Event
Thursday, May 1, 5-10pm
Summit Youth Centre - 200 Willingdon Ave Burnaby
Graffiti Painting and Barbeque - 5-8pm
Poetry Slam - 8-10pm
Admission and supper are free.
Cash Prizes
Host: Sasha Langford
Your slam poem must include your expression of the BC spirit - in hip hop, rant, storytelling - all poetic styles, expressions and points-of-view are welcome.

For information, call Raj at Summit Youth Centre 604 268-1369 or email us at vanpohouse@yahoo.ca

Don’t fear the Taxman!

Announcing the most important learning opportunity of 2008:

Tax Fundamentals for Artists and Artisans

Presented by Marianna Scott from Quantum Accounting

Sunday, February 24

1pm - 4pm (Registration starts at 12:30pm)

Kaslo Gardens Co-operative (Activities Room)

2765 Co-operative Way (between Kaslo and Slocan Streets on Grandview Highway)

Visit their website for a map: http://kaslogardenshousingcoop.ca/

Cost: $15

This workshop will be ideal for self-employed artists and craftspeople with little or no experience preparing taxes. If you dread tax season, and put off thinking about your taxes until the last minute, then this workshop is for you.

The workshop will cover the fundamentals of taxation for individuals, with an emphasis on the self-employed. It will cover which expenses are deductible, what kind of record keeping is required and how to get and stay organized.

Marianna Scott has been in accounting since 1987. She has been preparing personal taxes for the self-employed since 1996, with a focus on the arts and culture industry for the past four years. Marianna has completed a course of study to become a Certified Financial Planner. She expects to receive her CFP designation in 2008.

For more information or to pre-register for this important event, contact Steven R. Duncan at 604-788-8340 or email srduncan@shaw.ca. Space is limited. continue

The Centre is pleased to present…

Queer Tales

A creative writing workshop for lesbian, gay, bi, & trans folks

with Kimothy Shaughnessy

What’s your coming out story?

Is it hilarious, heart-wrenching, liberating,

or all of these things at once?

As queer people, it is the telling of our stories that

keeps our history rich and community strong

Come out to this creative writing workshop & connect with others as we craft our coming out stories into works of art

Sunday, March 16

1:00 – 4:00pm

1720 Grant St. (off Commercial Dr.)

Mosaic Meeting Room (wheelchair accessible)

Please REGISTER:

call The Centre at 604 684-5307

Free

ASL interpretation available if requested.

For any deaf folks interested in this workshop, please register by emailing educationoutreach@lgtbcentrevancouver.com The Centre regrets that we do not have TTY service at this time.

THE VANCOUVER POETRY SLAM

VANCOUVER POETRY HOUSE

AND THE

57 VARIETIES OPEN MIC

PRESENT

A PERFORMANCE POETRY WORKSHOP

AT SPARTACUS BOOKS

(319 WEST HASTINGS-2ND FLOOR)

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 19TH

WITH CALGARY’S WAKEFIELD BREWSTER

In January 2006, Wakefield moved to Calgary, Alberta for a new perspective in Canadian poetry and a fresh perspective in Canadian living. Being a visible minority with a Bajan (Barbados) heritage, the Western Canadian environment with such drastic differences could only help him to grow as a poet and as a person. In April, with the help of iconic Canadian poetess, ‘the Mama of Dada’, Sheri-D Wilson, he designed and ran a workshop for the Calgary International Spoken Word Festival entitled ‘flowetree poetree with da lyrical pitbull’ performing as a featured artist and hitting the stage for the poetry slams. (http://www.calgaryspokenwordfestival.com/index.html),

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM THE WORKSHOP
“I intend to perform pieces from all styles that i have learned; From capturing the audience; getting attention - holding it - reading techniques; secrets to slamming.

Often the workshops are about how i developed “wakespeak”, my use of ebonics and formal english combined; my mentors, my heroes, my inspirations and influences; music, literature and the audio/visual that i convey through my spoken images; my artistic backgroudns and how i use them in poetree to bring it to the foreground - ”

Whether you’re new to the art of performance poetry or a veteran looking to stretch your skills and your skin, Wakefield has a universe of knowledge, experience and enthusiasm to help you get what you want in this workshop. As he says, “in the end the workshop goes where the audience guides it.” All poetic styles and levels of experience are welcome. And if you are not interested please forward this on to someone you know who might be.

THE WORKSHOP WILL RUN FROM 7-8 PM-ish

TO BE FOLLOWED BY THE OPEN MIC FROM 8-10PM

$5 FOR 18 AND UNDER

$8 FOR 19 AND OLDER

NO ONE WILL BE TURNED AWAY FOR LACK OF FUNDS

COME TAKE A PIECE OF MIND FROM ONE OF THE QUICKEST IN THE BIZ

ONLY 30 SEATS AVAILABLE DUE TO SPACE LIMITATIONS

PRE REGISTER AT

rcarcee@yahoo.ca

WAKEFIELD WILL ALSO BE FEATURING

AT THUNDERING WORD AT CAFÉ MONTMARTRE ON FEB 17TH

AND THE VANCOUVER POETRY SLAM AT CAFÉ DEUX SOLEILS ON FEB 18TH

PLUS THE SPILLIOUS SPEAK N SING AT THE COTTAGE BISTRO ON FEB 20TH

Around 90 tickets have already been sold for the early Solomon Sparrow’s Electric Whale Revival show at 7pm, which means it is nearly sold out. There are more seats available for the late show.

The best way to get tickets is to show up at the Dead Poet’s Slam on October 29th, at Café Deux Soleils and buy them from Jim McKnight. Don’t wait until the 30th, we might sell out by then. We are not reserving any tickets to be sold at the door. If they’re snapped up ahead of time, then that’s it! You’ll be stuck watching it on YouTube, which won’t be nearly as much fun as being there yourself.

Find out more about the show here