The Nebraska Writers Collective is thrilled to announce the Omaha Poetry Slam, a monthly open mic and poetry slam, held on the second Saturday of every month at Dry Spokes.

Doors open at 6:30, event begins at 7:00. We will start with an open mic and then the competitive individual slam! (If you plan to compete in the slam, bring three poems.)

Slam performers will have up to three minutes in each round to perform, and will be judged by five audience members on a scale from 0.0-10.0. Top performing poets will move onto the second and third rounds, and the top scorer will walk away with $50! All poems must be performed solo without props, costumes, musical accompaniment, and must consist entirely of the poet’s original words and work.

For the open mic, you can perform either your work or the work of others with attribution. Open mic readers have up to five minutes to perform.

In the interest of creating the most inclusive environment for our all-ages audience, we have a zero tolerance policy for racism, sexism, misogyny, transphobia, homophobia, religious discrimination, or otherwise harmful writing and performance. Your time on the mic is not guaranteed.

The Nebraska Writers Collective proudly presents the Lincoln Poetry Slam, a monthly open mic and poetry slam, held on the second Thursday of every month at Larksong Writers Place. This month’s event will include a feature set from Tony McPherson!

Doors open at 6:30 p.m., event begins at 7 p.m. We will start with an open mic and then the competitive individual slam! (If you plan to compete in the slam, bring three poems.)

Slam performers will have up to three minutes in each round to perform, and will be judged by five audience members on a scale from 0.0-10.0. Top performing poets will move onto the second and third rounds, and the top scorer will walk away with $50! All poems must be performed solo without props, costumes, musical accompaniment, and must consist entirely of the poet’s original words and work.

For the open mic, you can perform either your work or the work of others with attribution. Open mic readers have up to five minutes to perform.

In the interest of creating the most inclusive environment for our all-ages audience, we have a zero tolerance policy for racism, sexism, misogyny, transphobia, homophobia, religious discrimination, or otherwise harmful writing and performance. Your time on the mic is not guaranteed.

The Nebraska Writers Collective is thrilled to present Tony McPherson, a resident poet at the National Museum of African American History & Culture, for an evening of readings and performances.

Join us on Saturday, November 4 from 7-8:30 p.m. at the Swanson Auditorium in UNL Nebraska Unions, 1400 R Street, Lincoln, Nebraska.

Featuring Tony McPherson
His poetry has been featured in the Lionsgate film "Love Beats Rhymes," produced by RZA of Wu-Tang Clan, and in the Emmy-winning documentary "Frameworks." Tony's accolades include being the Rustbelt Slam champion, a double Inkslam champion, and the first runner-up at the Individual World Poetry Slam. His viral poem, "All Lives Matter: 1800's Edition," has garnered over 10 million views.

Local Openers
We’ll also hear from Bianca Swift, Shelby Martinez, and Syble Heffernan. The event will be hosted by Stacey Waite.

All-Ages Open Mic
Following the main event, we invite all ages to participate in an open mic. Whether you're a seasoned performer or stepping onto the stage for the first time, you're welcome. Each reader will have up to 5 minutes at the mic, depending on the number of participants.

$10 Suggested Donation
To support events like this and continue fostering literary experiences, we suggest a $10 donation for entry. (No one will be turned away.)

With funding from Humanities Nebraska and Nebraska Cultural Endowment, this event is presented by Nebraska Writers Collective as part of our Visiting Writers Series.

Join us for an inspiring afternoon of creative exploration at the Bennett Martin Public Library, 136 South 14th Street, in downtown Lincoln on Saturday, November 4 from 2-3:30 p.m.

Tony McPherson, a distinguished writer and resident poet at the National Museum of African American History & Culture, will guide participants through the art of generative writing. In this hands-on workshop, you'll delve into the creative process of coming up with new ideas, exploring your unique voice, and crafting compelling written pieces.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?
All ages from high school and above are welcome to be part of this enriching experience. Whether you're an aspiring author, a seasoned poet, or just someone who loves putting thoughts to paper, you'll find inspiration and community here.

FUNDING & SUPPORT
With funding from Humanities Nebraska and Nebraska Cultural Endowment, this event is presented by Nebraska Writers Collective as part of our Visiting Writers Series.

To help us sustain and grow such enriching literary events, we kindly suggest a $10 donation for participation. However, please know that no one will be turned away.

MORE ABOUT THE WRITER
Tony McPherson is also a former NYC subway breakdancer whose poetry appears in the Lionsgate film “Love Beats Rhymes,” produced by RZA of Wu-Tang, as well as the Emmy-winning documentary “Frameworks.” McPherson is the Rustbelt Slam champion, the Inkslam champion twice over, the Individual World Poetry Slam 1st runner up, and has reached over 10 million views since his first viral poem, “All Lives Matter: 1800’s Edition.”

The Nebraska Writers Collective proudly presents the Omaha Poetry Slam, a monthly open mic and poetry slam, held on the second Saturday of every month at Dry Spokes. This month’s event will include a feature set from U.S. Youth Poet Laureate, Salome Agbaroji!

Doors open at 6:30 p.m., event begins at 7 p.m. We will start with an open mic and then the competitive individual slam! (If you plan to compete in the slam, bring three poems.)

Slam performers will have up to three minutes in each round to perform, and will be judged by five audience members on a scale from 0.0-10.0. Top performing poets will move onto the second and third rounds, and the top scorer will walk away with $50! All poems must be performed solo without props, costumes, musical accompaniment, and must consist entirely of the poet’s original words and work.

For the open mic, you can perform either your work or the work of others with attribution. Open mic readers have up to five minutes to perform.

In the interest of creating the most inclusive environment for our all-ages audience, we have a zero tolerance policy for racism, sexism, misogyny, transphobia, homophobia, religious discrimination, or otherwise harmful writing and performance. Your time on the mic is not guaranteed.

National Youth Poet Laureate Salome Agbaroji will teach a free, all-ages writing workshop at the Carter Lake Public Library on Saturday, October 14 from 12:30-2 p.m. All are welcome!

Please register to attend.

With funding from Humanities Nebraska and Nebraska Cultural Endowment, this event is presented by Nebraska Writers Collective as part of our Visiting Writers Series.

SAVE THESE DATES
Tony McPherson: November 2-4, 2023
George Abraham: February 22-24, 2024

ABOUT SALOME AGBAROJI
Salome Agbaroji is the National Youth Poet Laureate of the United States 2023-2024, making her the first African with this title. She is a Nigerian-American poet that has written and/or performed spoken word poetry for the Golden Globes Pre-Show, NFL Rams Halftime Show, an Opening Act on Rupi Kaur's World Tour, the likes of Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, Black Lives Matter founder Patrisse Cullors, Mrs. Tina Lawson, and many more.

This year, she will be an ambassador for Vans’ global brand campaign. Salome was a YoungArts winner in Spoken Word and has been honored by the Scholastic Arts and Writing Awards, among many others. She has been published in NPR's KCRW, Noema Magazine, the Harvard Technology Review, and more.

Entering Harvard University studying Government and Political Science this fall, her focuses outside of poetry are civic engagement and advocacy about issues such as racism towards minority communities, immigrant stories, injustices in the international community, and more.

Join us for a reading at Pear Tree Performing Arts with U.S. Youth Poet Laureate, Salome Agbaroji! Featuring local openers Amelia Escalante, Isabella Mitchell, Isabelle Ohlson, and Jules Wuestewald!

Please register to attend!

The Nebraska Writers Collective is thrilled to announce the Lincoln Poetry Slam, a monthly open mic and poetry slam, held on the second Thursday of every month at Larksong Writers Placesplace.org.

Doors open at 6:30, event begins at 7:00. We will start with an open mic and then the competitive individual slam! (If you plan to compete in the slam, bring three poems.)

Slam performers will have up to three minutes in each round to perform, and will be judged by five audience members on a scale from 0.0-10.0. Top performing poets will move onto the second and third rounds, and the top scorer will walk away with $50! All poems must be performed solo without props, costumes, musical accompaniment, and must consist entirely of the poet’s original words and work.

For the open mic, you can perform either your work or the work of others with attribution. Open mic readers have up to five minutes to perform.

In the interest of creating the most inclusive environment for our all-ages audience, we have a zero tolerance policy for racism, sexism, misogyny, transphobia, homophobia, religious discrimination, or otherwise harmful writing and performance. Your time on the mic is not guaranteed.

The world of literary publishing often feels illusory and daunting. Despite this, writers both new and experienced return to the challenge of sharing their work with the world day after day.

In this virtual workshop with Jordan Charlton, we'll take a glance into that publishing world and understand the inner workings of an editor and writer's perspectives on publication, searching for ways we can better understand these processes and get published.

"Why and How Publication is for You" with Jordan Charlton is part of The Generator: A Creative Writing Series for Grown Folks! presented by Nebraska Writers Collective.

Each month, NWC Teaching Artists from across multiple genres will help you power up your writing and boost your creativity.

Each workshop is $15 and will take place on Zoom. Register today.
https://form.jotform.com/232206680805150

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UPCOMING WORKSHOPS

November 14, Joe From Long Island, "Radical Self-Love/Acceptance Through the Lens of Beyoncé"

December 12, Emily Anderson, "The Gayest Workshop Ever"

‍January 9, Paula Bell, "Parentification"

February 13, Zedeka Poindexter, "Well Fed: Poetry of the Senses"

March 12, Rachel Luck, "Memoir: Preserving the Childhood Memory, and the Art of 'Perhapsing'"

May 14, Serenity Dougherty, "I Write Comedy—And You Can Too!"

Finals Showcase

The Holland Center, 1200 Douglas St., Omaha, NE