Canada’s largest spoken word festival, Verses Festival of Words, returns this spring from April 10 to 20 at Chill X Studio.

With the theme of “Amplify,” this year’s Festival will focus on uplifting and creating space for artists with a long history of community building and raising awareness of social issues.

In addition to the flagship event, the Canadian Individual Poetry Slam (CIPS), and collaborative showcases, highlights of this year’s program include a masterclass and headliner performance by renowned poet Beau Sia, as well as the launch of the second volume in the epic fantasy trilogy by acclaimed poet Sheri-D Wilson, The ONEIRONAUT ∅2. Youth poets will kick things off at Hullabaloo, where 15 high school slam teams come together for poetry slams, workshops, and a chance to connect with creative peers from across the province.