The poems on your commute could disappear after 2027.
Books BC says it was told earlier this year that TransLink will be unable to secure continued funding for the Poetry in Transit program after 2027. For riders who have glanced up from their phones to find a few lines of verse on transit, that’s worth knowing about.
What Poetry in Transit does
The program puts poems by writers into the transit system, where thousands of people who might never pick up a poetry book can read a few lines on the way to work or school. It’s free, it’s quiet and it asks nothing of the rider except a moment of attention.
Why it matters to the community
- Access. Public transit is shared by almost everyone in the region, so art placed there reaches people who aren’t in gallery or bookstore crowds.
- Visibility for writers. A poem in front of a rush-hour crowd is a rare kind of audience for local voices.
- Everyday culture. Small moments of art are part of what makes a commute feel like it belongs to the city.
What’s confirmed so far is the funding timeline: TransLink can’t secure continued support after 2027. We don’t yet know whether another funder or partner could step in, so this is a story to keep watching.
Have you ever had a poem make your commute better? Tell us about it, and whether you think the city should find a way to keep this going.
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