In 1989, Creative Time presented “Poets in Bars”, a series of poetry readings held at various bars throughout New York City. It was an opportunity to celebrate the rich history of oral tradition in the city and bring poetry performances to a wide array of public spaces. The project included some of the most prominent poets of the last 50 years, such as Miguel Algarin (co-founder of the Nuyorican Poets Café), Ntozake Shange, Lois Elaine Griffith, Amiri Baraka, Eileen Myles, Jayne Cortez, Jessica and Allen Ginsberg, among others.

To celebrate Creative Time’s 50th anniversary, we reflected on the impact of “Poets in Bars” and continued the tradition of amplifying poetic voices. It was a pleasure to collaborate with the Nuyorican Poets Café for this event, a foundational organization in the growth of the New York poetry scene. The event included members of the 2024 Nuyorican National Slam Poetry team reading pieces from some of the original performers at “Poets in Bars” alongside their own work. It also served as an opportunity for collective discussion on the critical role of poetry as creative expression within the city’s artistic landscape.

Nuyorican Poets Café:

The Nuyorican Poets Café has been an integral part of the New York City arts scene since 1973 as a creative hub for spoken word poetry, hip hop, jazz, Afro Boricua culture, Latin Fusion, theater, film, visual arts, and contemporary literature for over 50 years. The founders were of African Caribbean descent, but were predominantly Nuyoricans, meaning Puerto Ricans of New York. The Nuyorican Poets Cafe welcomes folks from all walks of life to amplify their voice, share their stories, and perfect their craft on our platforms. We fight against the pressures of gentrification, against all forms of discrimination, and historically tell stories of rebellion, resistance, and endurance. We pride ourselves in being a safe space for marginalized voices that are otherwise ignored and silenced.

Nuyorican Poets Café 2024 Slam Team:

Known as “Friendly Fire,” the 2024 Nuyorican Slam Team featuring Sumbodies Mama, UGBA, Britany Barker, and Sola Kush, is the first team New York City has formed since before the pandemic, and the first to compete since 2018. They ranked first in integrity, and dead-last in hating. Through their writing, they hope to inspire us to win our own competition against our great nemesis: our egos.