Our Story
Spoken Culture began in 2022, founded by poet and international development practitioner Michelle Owusu-Ansah (MittyPoems), with a simple idea: to create space for poets and spoken word artists to be heard.
What started as a single event in London, Ontario quickly revealed something deeper — a need not just for stages, but a platform for poets to share their work, connect with one another, and be experienced beyond the stage.
Since then, Spoken Culture has grown into a platform that brings poetry to life in multiple forms through live special events, community gatherings, and ongoing documentation of artists and their stories.
From intimate performances to larger productions, each experience is built with intention: to honour the voice, the story, and the moment.
Today, Spoken Culture continues to grow - developing artists, building community, and creating spaces where poetry and spoken word are experienced live.
what we do?
Spoken Culture builds platforms for poets and spoken word artists to be seen, heard, and experienced.
Poet Chronicles — an ongoing documentary series capturing poets and their stories
The Spoken Culture Network — a growing community of poets and writers connected through gatherings like Draft Society
Productions — curated live events, including Bonfire Poetry and the Black History Slam
Merch — writing-inspired products that extend the culture beyond the stage
Together, these create a connected ecosystem where poets and spoken word artists can grow, share their work, build relationships, and be experienced both on and off the stage.
Partnerships
Spoken Culture has collaborated with venues and cultural partners across London, Ontario, including City of London, Innovation Works, Western University, Museum London, Antler River Poetry, London Arts, LOndon Music Office, London Community Foundation, Xuux Studio, 3AM Film and various community based and art groups.
Our work has also been featured by CBC London and CTV News London, highlighting the impact of our events and the voices within our community.
These partnerships and media features — both past and ongoing — have supported the growth of our events, strengthened our community, and created spaces where poets and spoken word artists can be experienced live.
We continue to build relationships with partners who value storytelling, creativity, and meaningful cultural experiences.
Interested in partnering with us? Get in touch.
Our Team
Michelle Owusu-Ansah
FounderMichelle (also known as MittyPoems) is a poet, spoken word artist, creative producer and the founder of Spoken Culture. Her work focuses on building community through intentional, immersive creative experiences.
She has a background in law and is currently an international development practitioner at CAWST, bringing a human-centered and systems-driven approach to her work globally. Michelle leads the vision and direction of Spoken Culture, guiding its growth as a creative platform and community-driven movement.
Sanober Kaur
Project Manager | Bonfire PoetrySanober is deeply curious about the world and what it all means, with a strong interest in philosophy, archaeology, and spirituality. Her curiosity is grounded in exploring ideas that connect history, people, and a sense of purpose. She enjoys reading, often in nature, where she finds space to slow down and reflect more clearly. Writing is a central part of how she expresses herself and something she is deeply passionate about. Over time, she hopes to grow this practice into something more expansive, with the goal of publishing her own work.
Chance Pinkney
Project Manager | Poet Chronicles and Market PoetryChance is a London-based creative, born and raised in a city often overlooked as a hub for the arts, yet rich with hidden talent. Raised in a deeply artistic household, Chance was influenced early on by a mother who was a writer and poet, and a father who expressed himself through music and visual art. Surrounded by creativity, Chance was encouraged to explore painting, writing, and other forms of artistic expression from a young age. Over time, this evolved into work across public speaking, poetry, and visual art, each shaping a distinct voice and perspective. Now reconnecting with a passion for poetry, Chance is stepping into a new chapter grounded in reflection, expression, and a renewed commitment to creative practice.
Manthan Gandhi
Project Manager | Spoken Culture Network and Draft SocietyManthan serves as Project Manager at Spoken Culture, where he brings structure, clarity, and momentum to the organization’s creative initiatives. With a background in engineering, he made a deliberate pivot into project management driven by a passion for coordinating people and purpose across complex, meaningful work. At Spoken Culture, Manthan oversees project planning, stakeholder communications, and operational coordination ensuring that artists, teams, and timelines stay aligned. He holds a CAPM® certification, and brings an Agile mindset to the non-profit space, adapting professional frameworks to serve a community-driven mission. Beyond the tools and trackers, Manthan is here to grow deepening his emotional intelligence and people-first leadership through every collaboration. He believes the best project management is quiet: when things flow because trust, communication, and care have been built into the process from the start.