About

WordPlay is dedicated to bringing poetry to the classroom, and to exposing students to poetry as a living, breathing art form. Our facilitators run performance and writing workshops in high schools, elementary schools, and community centres. The program engages students, giving them the opportunity to find their own voice.

Here are some of our aspirations:

Increase poetry’s relevance to youth.

Exposing students to a living, breathing spoken-word experience helps bring poetry into the present. Youth often feel separated from poetry by time, language and content. WordPlay presents them with contemporary poets who are active in their community. They provide crucial context for the study and appreciation of literature.

Give youth the tools and inspiration to create and perform their own work.

Providing youth with the means and opportunity to write their own poems is crucial to engaging them in the poetic process. Academic pressure on students and teachers makes it difficult to create space and time in the classroom for creative exploration. WordPlay’s well-crafted workshops create that space. Our dynamic writing and performance exercises encourage students to explore the boundaries of their own personal expression.

Provide poets with opportunities to practice their vocation.

When artists are given the chance to work as artists, they gain in both confidence and opportunity. As individuals, they are often challenged by limited resources, isolation, and a lack of recognized credentials. WordPlay offers a legitimate avenue to share expertise. Both established and upcoming artists can make use of the organization and support that the program provides.

Catalyze relationships between poets, youth, educators, and the greater artistic community.

When creative connections are made between artistic and educational communities, everyone benefits. The lack of resources and awareness often interferes with making these connections. WordPlay bridges the gap. We help teachers bring poets to students, encouraging dialogue between all three groups.

Develop new audiences for poetry.

Every individual who experiences spoken word for the first time is a potential poet, patron, or audience member in the community. The energy created by these performances is often left unharnessed, leaving listeners without an avenue to explore their reactions. WordPlay’s workshops and talented facilitators make sure that this potential is realized.