Poetry In Voice/Les voix de la poésie is bringing its National Finals to Vancouver on May 15, culminating a year of work to make poetry more accessible in Canadian classrooms. Directed by Ariane Tapp, who joined the Scott Griffin-founded charity in 2022, the organization strives to counter the diminishing presence of arts education by becoming “the essential resource for teaching and learning poetry in Canada and beyond.”
Photo by: Éloise Duguay-Langlois
Describe your charity/non-profit/volunteer work in a few sentences.
Poetry In Voice/Les voix de la poésie is a registered charity that wants all Canadians to speak poetry. To achieve this, we are striving to become the essential resource for teaching and learning poetry in Canada and beyond. We provide educators with engaging content and experiences, in English and French, to inspire their students to read, recite, and write poetry.
What problem does it aim to solve?
Youth, our communities, and our society need poetry, now more than ever. Poetry unites, inspires, and provokes us. Through communal sharing, poetry creates a vibrant, compassionate space where students are heard and connect with others, counteracting feelings of disconnection. Reading and writing poetry cultivates students’ emotional intelligence. Moreover, it enhances their capacity to analyse, interpret, and appreciate diverse stories, languages, and cultures, fostering greater inclusivity in our multicultural classrooms and communities. And reciting poetry builds community and confidence along with memory and public speaking skills.
Yet in classrooms across Canada, arts education is diminishing. Many teachers tell us they don’t feel trained to teach poetry well and that poetry is a tough sell to their students. Teachers need resources and support to integrate poetry into their classes. Students deserve to experience the ways in which poetry can enrich their lives.
When did you start/join it?
The organisation was founded by Scott Griffin in 2010; I joined in 2022.
What made you want to get involved?
I always admired the work Poetry In Voice was doing. As a poet and stage artist myself, I wish I could have participated in such programs when I was in school. I wanted to contribute to making those opportunities known to young people, so they could benefit from them where I couldn’t.
What was the situation like when you started?
The org was flourishing, with new initiatives like a writing-intensive, poetry mixtapes, a podcast, and the return of in-person events after the pandemic.
How has it changed since?
Our program keeps expanding, with a new K-6 minisite, Poetry is elementary!, and Indigenous poetry resources.
What more needs to be done?
We want to make our programs and contests known to all young people in Canada. That means reaching out more to rural and Indigenous communities, public schools and schools in the northern and eastern provinces and territories. That also means getting more funding, ideally continuous, to be able to maintain our programming for years to come.
How can our readers help?
They can follow us on social media, spread the word and, if they can, donate here.
Do you have any events coming up?
Yes, and in Vancouver! Our recitation contest’s National Finals will be held at The Centre on May 15. 1800 students from the region are attending, as well as local poets and journalists. Our nine National Finalists will be doing poetry-related activities in the days prior to the event with 16 young poets from across Canada, selected for our writing intensive named FutureVerse.
Where can we follow you?
Website | Instagram | Facebook
PAY IT FORWARD: What is an awesome local charity that you love?