About Us

The Poetry Gabriola Society values risk, innovation, and the spirit of adventure. We are committed to presenting a culturally diverse program steeped in artistic excellence.

We have provided a forum for adventurous poetry and extraordinary performance since the year 2000. As well as the Poetry Gabriola Festival (2003), the PGS produces literary readings, workshops, concerts, cabarets, film screenings, multi-media, site-specific and performance art events, all year long.

We have presented poets, storytellers, songwriters, musical improvisers, historians, and rock stars, as well as practitioners of spoken word, sound poetry, hip-hop, poly-vocal collaboration, haiku, and performance art. There is little we shy away from if it is text-based and compelling.

The Poetry Gabriola mandate is twofold: First, to provide support and performance opportunities for local artists who work with words, and second, to invite artists of national and international renown to present their work in our island community.

PGS is a registered charity, guided by an Artistic Director-General Manager, and governed by a volunteer Board of Directors. We are currently assembling a Counsel of Poets, an informal group of Gabriolan text artists, who have volunteered to be available in an advisory capacity.

We have worked with many community organizations and businesses to produce projects. Community partners include the Gabriola Commons, The Gabriola Museum, The Gathering Place Youth Centre, The Gabriola Library, Malaspina University,  Zula Presents, The Roxy Lounge, The Haven Resort and Institute, The Surf Lodge, The Women’s Institute Hall, The Gabriola Arts Council,  and Artworks. All design, printing, production and distribution work is contracted locally, as are short-term contracts and internships.

We are proud to be funded by the local community, the BC Arts Council, The Province of British Columbia, the Canada Council for the Arts, and the League of Canadian Poets.

WANT TO HELP?

The Poetry Gabriola Society is dedicated to supporting local artists and bringing poets and performers to Gabriola for your enjoyment. And we’re here because of you.

Become a Member!

Poetry Gabriola Individual Memberships are only $5 a year. 

Memberships can be paid at Artworks, or at any of our event venues, or by mail. Remember to leave us your name, email address, and phone number so we can keep our records up-to-date and mark you as “Paid”!

Become a Friend Of The Festival!

The Poetry Gabriola Society is a registered charity and can issue tax receipts for individual gifts of $10.00 or more. All donations go toward paying artists and producing events.

If you would like to support or sponsor a future Poetry Gabriola event, please return this form with a cheque made payable to:

The Poetry Gabriola Society
888 Canso Drive
Gabriola Island, BC    V0R 1X2

Download the form to print out (60KB, PDF)

The Poetry Gabriola Festival could not exist without your support.

 

Board of Directors:

Alexander Varty – Chair
Ingrid Weiss - Treasurer
Portia Boehm -Secretary
Susan Yates - Director
Charlotte Cameron - Director
Sara Charonne - Director

 

Artistic Director: Hilary Peach