The First Wednesday is the First!
Extra-special extravaganza!
Mill City Speaks Poetry Slam Team FINALS!
We will choose our slam team for 2023 in a no-holds barred metaphorical mash-up featuring the winners from our monthly slam series which started in the Fall of 2022.
Only the best of the best will compete for glory — and cash prizes — in our Lowell, Massachusetts version of the internationally famous poetry slam!
Special Guest Host: Ryk McIntyre
Preceded by, of course, our unsurpassed, unparalleled, unrivaled UNTITLED OPEN MIC!
Bring your own musings, sketches, songwriting or whatever to share with our listening community.
Hosted at Coffee and Cotton at Mill No. 5. Located in a historic downtown textile building, Mill No. 5 is a destination into what Lowell is; home to independent shops, The Luna Theatre, the Farm Market, and Coffee and Cotton. Coffee and Cotton is the heart of the building, serving up coffee, espresso, and lattes, wine, local craft beer, delicious, made to order, locally sourced options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It is also a venue for live music, game nights, community events, and now our Untitled Open Mic.
/// About the Slam ///
We have ten poets who qualified by making it to the last round of one of our monthly open slams, reaching back to October 5, 2022, so everyone on the mic is sure to have serious skills. We will go two rounds so you can clap for your favorites twice, and the poetry will be doubly delicious. Cash prizes and chocolate are guaranteed.
If you want to know more about slamming or judging for this event, please contact us at lowellpoetry@gmail.com.
/// Format ///
Sign-Ups Open @ 6pm
Open Mic Starts @ 6:30 pm
Poetry Slam begins after the open reading.
All Done @ 9:00pm
/// Details ///
Free Admission
Food, Drink, and Merch for Sale
@ Coffee & Cotton
250 Jackson St. No. 401
Lowell, Mass. 01852
https://millno5.com/directions/
Also streaming online:
Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87647285203
Meeting ID: 876 4728 5203 Passcode: 800200
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/ksnx4vg44
/// Safer Space & Community Guidelines ///
We strive to foster a space of inclusivity and respect. We ask everyone to not bring (in no particular order) ableist, ageist, body shaming, classist, homophobic, misogynist, misandrist, racist, transphobic, oppressive language, attitudes, and actions at the space. We look to hold ourselves and one another accountable to creating a culture in which we treat each other with consent and respect. This includes but is not limited to respecting people's physical and emotional boundaries and receiving explicit verbal consent before touching someone or crossing other personal boundaries. If you are disrupting our safer space we will ask you to leave.
/// Zoom Guidelines /// (Online)
1.) Some best practices suggest being somewhere with minimal background noise and good lighting, use headphones if possible, and close any applications not being used on your device to improve Zoom quality.
2.) It is best to have your display on “Speaker View” to see the host and performer. “Gallery View” will allow you to see all guests at once.
3.) Feel free to add a name and pronoun into your display so we can say hello and know who is joining us. Keep in mind that this event is streaming publicly so take any precautions about sharing your identity.
4.) Guests could also have “Video” on or off, as that is optional.5.) During performances/readings the host will “Mute” all other guests.
6.) Guests are encouraged to show love and gratitude visually on screen or in the chat window.
7.) Please be respectful on screen and in the chat window - and acknowledge the space you can take up in this digital communal platform.
8.) Host will allow guests to un-mute after performances if they choose and able to out loud affirmations or gratitudes.
9.) Any conflicts to the safer space / community guidelines the host may remove you from the Zoom call. If you feel like you have been accidentally or wrongfully removed, please reach out to the organizers.
Please reach out to here with questions regarding the open mic or slam.
“This program is supported in part by a grant from the Lowell Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.”