About

Spoken Word Canada, a.k.a. SpoCan, is an organization of spoken word performers and organizers. Formed from a committee of city representatives at the 2004 Canadian Spoken Wordlympics in Ottawa, Ontario, SpoCan’s mission is to “nurture, develop and advance spoken word artists, the professional spoken word community and the art of spoken word in Canada.”

Every fall, poets from across the country gather for the Canadian Festival of Spoken Word, produced by SpoCan in conjunction with local organizers. The festival has been held in Vancouver, Victoria, Halifax, Toronto, Calgary, and Ottawa, and will be hosted in Toronto in 2011 and Saskatoon in 2012. Visit cfsw.ca for details on CFSW.

SpoCan’s Board of Directors is made up of representatives from each poetry slam across Canada, an executive committee, and several standing and ad hoc committees. Visit our Board of Directors/Committees page for more details.