EVENTS
SHOWS
AS220 MAIN STAGE
115 EMPIRE ST
PROVIDENCE, RI 02903
FIRST & THIRD THURSDAYS OF EVERY MONTH
DOORS OPEN & SIGNUPS AT 8:00 PM
SHOW BEGINS AT 7:30PM
SUGGESTED DONATION $5
NO ONE TURNED AWAY FOR LACK OF FUNDS
COMP’D FOR RISD & BROWN STUDENT IDS
Open Mic & All-Ages Qualifying Slam #4
Join us January 16th at AS220 Black Box for a multi-genre open mic and a competitive poetry slam to qualify for Semi-Finals B on April 3rd.
Open Mic & All-Ages Qualifying Slam #5
Join us January 16th at AS220 Black Box for a multi-genre open mic and a competitive poetry slam to qualify for Semi-Finals B on April 3rd.
Open Mic & Last Chance Slam: All-Ages Qualifying Slam #6
Join us March 20th at AS220 Black Box for a multi-genre open mic and a competitive poetry slam to qualify for Semi-Finals B on April 3rd — this is the final opportunity to qualify!
Open Mic & Semi-Final Poetry Slam B
Join us April 3rd at AS220 Main Stage for a multi-genre open mic and a competitive poetry slam: Semi-Finals B – the top four scoring poets advance to Grand Slam Finals on April 17th!
Grand Slam Finals 2025
Join us April 17th at AS220 Main Stage for our biggest poetry slam of the year — Grand Slam Finals! The top eight scoring poets of the season will compete to make one of five spots on the 2025 Providence Poetry Slam team!
Open Mic & Semi-Final Poetry Slam A
Join us December 19th at AS220 Main Stage for a multi-genre open mic and a competitive poetry slam: Fall Semi-Finals – the top four scoring poets advance to Grand Slam Finals on April 17th!
Open Mic ft. Jess Rizkallah
Join us December 5th at AS220 Main Stage for a multi-genre open mic with a feature from Jess Rizkallah, author of the magic my body becomes (University of Arkansas Press, 2017).
Youth Poetry Workshop ft. Devin Samuels
Join us afterschool on Thursday, December 5th for the fourth in our Youth Workshop series.
These free workshops are youth-centered, for poets and writers between the ages of 14 and 19 years of age. The workshops are led by alumni of ProvSlam's Youth program. All experiences are welcome!
Open Mic & All-Ages Qualifying Slam #3
Join us November 21st at AS220 Black Box for a multi-genre open mic and a competitive poetry slam to qualify for Semi-Finals A on December 19th.
Open Mic ft. Maya Williams
Join us at AS220 Black Box for a multi-genre open mic with a feature from Maya Williams, Maine’s seventh poet laureate, and author of Judas & Suicide (Game Over Books, 2023), Refused a Second Date (Harbor Editions, 2023), and What's So Wrong with a Pity Party Anyway? (Garden Party Collective, 2024).
Youth Poetry Workshop ft. Alyssa St. Franc!
Join us afterschool on Thursday, November 7th for the third in our Youth Workshop series. This month, our workshop will be led by ProvSlam Youth Alum, Alyssa St. Franc!
Where: Psychic Readings, 2nd floor of AS220 at 95 Empire St.
Date: Thursday November 7
Time: 5pm - 6:30pm
These free workshops are youth-centered, for poets and writers between the ages of 14 and 19 years of age. The workshops are led by alumni of ProvSlam's Youth program. All experiences are welcome!
Our youth poetry workshop series is made possible through a grant from Providence’s Department of Art, Culture & Tourism.
Open Mic & All-Ages Qualifying Slam #2
Join us on October 17th at AS220 Black Box for a multi-genre open mic and a competitive poetry slam to qualify for Semi-Finals A on December 19th.
Open Mic ft. Ayokunle Falomo
Join us at AS220 Black Box for a multi-genre open mic with a feature from Ayokunle Falomo, author of Autobiomythography of (Alice James Books, 2024).
Youth Poetry Workshop ft. Muggs Fogarty
Join us afterschool on Thursday, October 3rd for the second in our Youth Workshop series.
These free workshops are youth-centered, for poets and writers between the ages of 14 and 19 years of age. The workshops are led by alumni of ProvSlam's Youth program. All experiences are welcome!
This second workshop will be led by former ProvSlam co-director Muggs Fogarty.
Open Mic & All-Ages Qualifying Slam #1
Join us on September 19th at AS220 Main Stage for a multi-genre open mic and a competitive poetry slam to qualify for Semi-Finals A on December 19th.
Youth Poetry Workshop ft. Naffisatou Koulibaly
Join us after school on Thursday, September 19th at AS220 Psychic Readings for the first in our Youth Workshop series.
These free workshops are youth-centered, for poets and writers between the ages of 14 and 19 years of age. The workshops are led by alumni of ProvSlam's Youth program. All experiences are welcome!
This first workshop will be led by ProvSlam Youth alum and current ProvSlam co-director Naffisatou Koulibaly.
Open Mic ft. 2024 Slam Team
Join us on Thursday, September 5th at AS220 Main Stage for a multi-genre open mic with a feature performance from our very own 2024 ProvSlam Team! Come out and support these incredible poets, and buy a chapbook!
NorthBEAST - Boston Poetry Slam
Regional Tournament runs from July 20- July 21 with poetry slams, workshops, and more.
Tickets are sliding scale $10 - $25. Get tickets and more info here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2024-northbeast-regional-poetry-slam-festival-tickets-928000082227
ProvSlam Open Mic featuring JR Mahung!
Join us on Thursday July 18 on AS220's main stage for an open mic featuring JR Mahung!
Doors open & sign-up sheet is posted at 7pm.
Admission is $5 donation or pay what you can. No one is turned away ❤
The open mic is open to all artists of all genres, and all ages. Bring your stories, songs, prose, flash fiction, poems, music--lets hear it!
MORE ABOUT OUR FEATURE:
JR Mahung (She/They) is a Garifuna poet from the South Side of Chicago. She now lives in Boston, MA with her cat, Frank Ocean. JR’s chapbook “Since When He Have Wings” is available through Pizza Pi Press.
NorthBEAST Regional Slam - Lizard Lounge
The second of two night regional poetry slam competitions hosted by Lizard Lounge in Cambridge, MA.
The ProvSlam Team will be competing against local New England teams for the NorthBEAST crown!
Doors open at 7pm. Tickets are $10.
Get your tickets in advance here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/poetry-jam-northbeast-regional-slam-2-tickets-926162907187
Battle Royal Poetry Slam - Lowell MA
This Wednesday July 3, the ProvSlam team will battle it out with 3 other local teams in a Battle Royale Poetry Slam! We go head to head against Slam Free or Die (Manchester, NH), Mill City Speaks (Lowell, MA) and Cill Mitty Talks (Lowell, Ma)! There will be an open mic too!
Show is at The Teaching Space at 122 Western Ave, Lowell, MA 01851. Sign-ups and doors at 6pm. Show starts around 6:30pm.
Free admission!
ProvSlam Open Mic featuring Mckendy Fils-Aime
Join us on Thursday June 20 for an open mic, featuring Mckendy Fils-Aime!
Doors open and sign-up shyeet posted at 7pm. Be on time to make sure you get a spot!
Admission is $5 donation or pay what you can. No one is turned away!
The open mic is open to all artists of all genres, and all ages!
ProvSlam Open Mic + DOUBLE FEATURE with Noam Keim and Nandi Comer
Join us on Thursday June 6 for an open mic and a very special DOUBLE FEATURE of two phenomenal writers: Noam Keim and Nandi Comer!
Doors and sign-ups for the open mic open at 7pm. Be there on time to make sure you get a spot! Admission is $5 donation or pay what you can. No one is turned away for lack of funds.
MORE ABOUT OUR FEATURES:
NANDI COMER:
Nandi Comer is the current Poet Laureate of Michigan. She is the author of American Family: A Syndrome (Finishing Line Press) and Tapping Out (Northwestern University Press), which was awarded the 2020 Society of Midland Authors Award and the 2020 Julie Suk Award. She is a Cave Canem Fellow, a Callaloo Fellow, and a 2019 Kresge Arts in Detroit Fellow. Her poems and essays have appeared in Callaloo, Crab Orchard Review, The Journal of Pan African Studies, and others.
Nandi has served as a writer-in-residence in Detroit Public Schools and has worked in collaboration with organizations, including YArts and InsideOut Literary Arts Projects. She serves as a poetry editor for Obsidian: Literature & Arts in the African Diaspora and is the co-director of Detroit Lit.
NOAM KEIM:
noam keim (they/them) is a trauma worker, medicine maker and flâneur freak.Born a settler of Occupied Palestine in an Arab Jewish family hailing from Morocco, noam grew up in France, first in Mulhouse at the German and Swiss border, before moving to Paris for their studies. Their non-fiction writing weaves themes close to their heart: reverence to the land, healing, queerness, colonialism, plants, abolition.
They are a Lambda Literary ’22 Emerging LGBTQ Voices Fellow, a Roots.Wounds.Words ‘23 fellow, a Tin House Winter Workshop ‘23 participant and a Sewanee. noam was an independent study fellow at POCOAPOCO in Oaxaca and will be an artist-in-residence at Space A in Kathmandu in the Fall of 2023. They are a Periplus ‘23 Fellow mentored by Grace Talusan. noam’s essays have been published in Dardishi Vol.3, ALOCASIA and Foglifter.
Their essay collection titled The Land is Holy won the 2022 Megaphone Prize and will be published on May 28. 2024 by Radix Media.
ProvSlam Grand Slam 2024
Join us on Thursday February 1 for an open mic and an open qualifier poetry slam! Anyone can sign up for the open mic. Poets of all ages can sign up for the poetry slam, and the winner gets a cash prize!
Doors open and sign-up sheets are posted at 7pm.
Admission is $5 suggested donation, or pay what you can. No one will be turned away!
ProvSlam Open Mic and Last Chance Slam (Final Open Qualifier)
Join us on Thursday February 1 for an open mic and an open qualifier poetry slam! Anyone can sign up for the open mic. Poets of all ages can sign up for the poetry slam, and the winner gets a cash prize!
Doors open and sign-up sheets are posted at 7pm.
Admission is $5 suggested donation, or pay what you can. No one will be turned away!
Youth Writing Workshop and Open Mic at Imago Gallery
ProvSlam is teaming up with friends at the Imago Gallery in Warren, RI for a special youth writing workshop and open mic! This event is free for youth, and suggested donation of $5 for adults.
Youth Workshop will run from 5-6:30pm. The open mic will follow at 7pm, and will feature ProvSlam staff members.
Learn more about this event and all the cool stuff happening at Imago on their website: https://www.imagofoundation4art.org/copy-of-march-events
Workshop & Open Mic at Public
ProvSlam is teaming up with friends at Public, a gallery and events space in Providence, to hold a writing workshop and open mic.
ProvSlam staff members Alyssa and Michelle will lead a writing workshop and host the open mic. The workshop will run from 6pm-7pm, after which will be the open mic from around 7pm-9pm.
Admission is sliding scale: Open Mic $5-10, Workshop $10-15. RSVP required, and you can sign up for one, or both portions. If you sign up for the workshop, your RSVP will carry over into the open mic!
Click the links below to learn more about the workshop and sign up!
Workshop RSVP: https://public-classes.square.site/
Open Mic RSVP: https://www.publicshopandgallery.com/event-details-registration/open-mic-2
ProvSlam Open Mic with Featured Poet Alison Rollins!
Join us on Thursday April 18 for an open mic and feature from Alison Rollins! Alison has a brand new book coming out, available at this show! Lets help her celebrate!
Doors open and sign-up sheets are posted at 7pm. Be on time to make sure you have a spot!
Admission is $5 or pay what you can. No one will be turned away for lack of funds.
OPEN MIC: open to all artists of all genres, and all ages! Bring your songs, poems, and prose! You'll have 5 minutes MAX on the mic, please be considerate of time! Think 2 short poems (2 minutes each) or 1 long poem or song.
MORE ABOUT OUR FEATURE:
Alison C. Rollins (born and raised in St. Louis city) holds a Master of Fine Arts from Brown University, a Master of Library and Information Science from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and a Bachelor of Science from Howard University. Her next poetry collection, Black Bell, is out this April from Copper Canyon Press. Rollins was named a 2023-2024 Harvard Radcliffe Institute fellow and a National Endowment for the Arts Literature fellow in 2019. In 2021, her essay "Dispatch from the Racial Mountain" was selected by contest judge Kiese Laymon as the winner of the Gulf Coast prize in nonfiction. Her work, across genres, has appeared or is forthcoming in American Poetry Review, Black Warrior Review, Iowa Review, The New York Times Magazine, and elsewhere. A Cave Canem and Callaloo fellow, she was a 2016 recipient of the Poetry Foundation’s Ruth Lilly and Dorothy Sargent Rosenberg Fellowship. Rollins has been awarded support from the Bread Loaf Writers' Conference and is a recipient of the 2018 Rona Jaffe Writers' Award. A 2020 Pushcart Prize winner, her debut poetry collection Library of Small Catastrophes (Copper Canyon Press, 2019) was a 2020 Hurston/Wright Foundation Legacy Award nominee. Rollins has held faculty as well as librarian appointments at various institutions including the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Colorado College, and Pacific Northwest College of Art. She is an assistant professor of English at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
ProvSlam Open Mic and Open Qualifier Poetry Slam!
Join us on Thursday February 1 for an open mic and an open qualifier poetry slam! Anyone can sign up for the open mic. Poets of all ages can sign up for the poetry slam, and the winner gets a cash prize!
Doors open and sign-up sheets are posted at 7pm.
Admission is $5 suggested donation, or pay what you can. No one will be turned away!
ProvSlam Open Mic featuring Beau Williams!
Join us on Thursday March 21 for an open mic and feature by poet Beau Williams!
Doors open and sign-up sheets are posted at 7pm.
Admission is $5 suggested donation, or pay what you can. No one will be turned away!
ProvSlam Open Mic and Open Qualifier Poetry Slam!
Join us on Thursday February 1 for an open mic and an open qualifier poetry slam! Anyone can sign up for the open mic. Poets of all ages can sign up for the poetry slam, and the winner gets a cash prize!
Doors open and sign-up sheets are posted at 7pm.
Admission is $5 suggested donation, or pay what you can. No one will be turned away!
ProvSlam Open Mic with Featured Performer TBA
Join us on Thursday February 15 for an open mic and a featured performer(TBA)!
Doors open and sign-up sheets are posted at 7pm. Be on time to make sure you have a spot!
Admission is $5 or pay what you can. No one will be turned away for lack of funds.
OPEN MIC: open to all artists of all genres, and all ages! Bring your songs, poems, and prose! You'll have 5 minutes MAX on the mic, please be considerate of time! Think 2 short poems (2 minutes each) or 1 long poem or song.
ProvSlam Open Mic and Open Qualifier Poetry Slam
Join us on Thursday February 1 for an open mic and an open qualifier poetry slam!
ProvSlam Open Mic featuring Myles Taylor!
Join us on Thursday January 18 for an open mic and feature by poet Myles Taylor!
ProvSlam Open Mic and Pictionary Slam!
Join us on Thursday January 4 for the first show of 2024! Come thru for an open mic and a special Pictionary Slam. ProvSlam staff members and other poets will duke it out thru the power of spoken word on stage, and the audience will judge those poems with illustrations instead of numbers, cuz we’re sick of math.