Poetry reading at DTES street market — Rent Assembly Conference

Join us for an outdoor poetry reading and chapbook launch at the Downtown Eastside street market!

As part of the Rent Assembly Conference (rentassembly.org) three poets whose work speaks to issues of systemic poverty and gentrification– Peter Bracking, Karen Ward and Cherise Clarke — will read.

This is the LAUNCH of Peter Bracking’s chapbook of poems ‘Rent in Four or keeping ass out of acid rain,’ which explores, according to the author, “tenants, landlords, developers and banks featuring slumlords, gentrification, you and dreams.” This work draws from the author’s lived experience of homelessnesss and SRO life in Vancouver.

The reading will be hosted by the Art Cart. The Art Cart is a mobile art gallery and vending cart for the communities of Gallery Gachet and Oppenheimer Park. The Art Cart seeks alternatives for “artist space,” and in its own way represents an act of creative survival and resistance.

LOCATION:

Look for the Art Cart’s blue awning on Carrall near Cordova. The market fills Pigeon Park and Carrall St between Cordova and Hastings. There will be limited seating. Chapbooks will be for sale. Get yours signed by one of the poets.

All are welcome!

ARTIST BIOS:

Peter Bracking has made it his business to tell tall tales to children and adults as often as possible. He has lived in different points on the globe, the present point being Vancouver. He has completed his first novel. Recent publications: feathertale.com, Megaphone Magazine.
Soon: Ascent/Aspirations, maisonneuve, Megaphone Magazine.

Karen Ward lives in supportive housing in the Downtown Eastside. She works out of Gallery Gachet, an artist-run centre serving low-income and marginalized artists from a mental health background. Her exhibit ‘Small Worlds’ is currently on display at Gachet (until June 2nd). She has produced a special chapbook for this event, which will be for sale. Her previous chapbook is entitled ‘because you are broken.’

Cherise Clarke
-author bio coming soon

Hosted by Art Cart Coordinator Alex Leslie