Oh Hey There, USSers!! We know you’ve been all holed up behind all this snow doing nothing else but writing all about your feelings and impending doom — time to see what kinda chops those freewrites have! Come join us for a New! Shit! Slam! AND LEST WE NOT FORGET, MUGGS MOTHERFUCKIN FOGARTY will be in house coming for your heart’s throat, so just BE PREPARED.

* * * * * * PLEASE NOTE OUR NEW START TIME * * * * * *

6:30pm: Writing Workshop (FREE!!)
7:30pm: Sign-Ups and Socialize
7:55pm: Slam Draw
8:00pm: Slam, Round One; Feature; Slam, Round 2

Bureau of General Services — Queer Division
208 W 13th St, #210
NY, NY 10010
(btw 7th and 8th Aves W)

$5 // All Ages // Wheelchair Accessible

About our Feature:

Muggs Fogarty is a genderqueer poet and teaching artist from Providence, Rhode Island. Muggs’ work addresses identity and lived experience, with a focus on intersectionality. A former Brave New Voices finalist, Muggs’ unique poetry and stunning performance has left audiences breathless from Providence to San Jose. After graduating from The New School in 2013 with a degree in creative writing, Muggs has been serving the youth of Rhode Island as a writing instructor at the award-winning youth advocacy group, New Urban Arts, and also as head coach of the Providence National Youth Slam Team. Muggs has become one of the most respected voices for queer rights and identity issues within the performance poetry community, and their work has received tens of thousands of views via Button Poetry, the largest spoken word platform in the world. Muggs is working currently as the co-director of the Providence Poetry Slam, and as a teaching artist with CityArts. Their published work can be found in FreezeRay, Wicked Banshee, Bluestockings Magazine, among others.
About our Slam:

New Shit Slam is a triple-dog-dare to push ourselves as artists and to use the mic as an aural and community-based editing tool. Fashioned after Tatyana Browne’s Lit Slam, judges will act as editors: they will not only score the poem on a scale of 0.0-10.0, but also make quick first impression notes based on originality, content, and performance, that will be handed back to the poet as feedback. (Don’t worry, judges! It’s anonymous! But do keep it to a loving objective criticism) Audience members are also encouraged to approach the poets afterwards with their own feedback and responses after the show.

New Shit is defined by having never touched a USS mic — the one exception is if the work has been heavily edited (over 50% new)

8 poets, 2 rounds, 4 minute time limit, no elimination

All poets read in both rounds. Order is determined/drawn before the show

(Participation in at least one Theme Slam (New Shit, WOWPS or Capturing Fire Qualifier, etc) is required for you to compete in Finals. You do not have to win a Theme Slam in order to compete in Finals)