Cristin O’Keefe Aptowicz is the author of six books of poetry as well as the nonfiction book, Words In Your Face: A Guided Tour Through Twenty Years of the New York City Poetry Slam, which Billy Collins wrote “leaves no doubt that the slam poetry scene has achieved legitimacy and taken its rightful place on the map of contemporary literature.” On the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) podcast Art Works, host Josephine Reed introduced Cristin as being “something of a legend in NYC’s slam poetry scene. She is lively, thoughtful, and approachable looking to engage the audience with her work and deeply committed to the community that art (in general) and slam poetry (in particular) can create.” Cristin’s most recent awards include the ArtsEdge Writer-In-Residency at the University of Pennsylvania (2010-2011), a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship in Poetry (2011) and the Amy Clampitt Residency (2013). Her sixth book of poetry, The Year of No Mistakes, was released by Write Bloody Publishing in Fall 2013 and her second nonfiction book, Dr. Mutter’s Marvels: A True Tale of Intrigue and Innovation at the Dawn of Modern Medicine, was released by Gotham Books (Penguin) in Fall 2014. For more information, please visit her website at www.aptowicz.com
As always, there will be an open mic and two-round poetry slam, (3 min) where poets accumulate points to qualify for the Van Slam team. This is a COVER SLAM and poets competing must perform poems that are not their own; so poets, here is your chance to let fly your old favorites.
Cafe Deux Soleils and the Van Slam strive to be a trans friendly place and a hate speech free zone. Help us with that. We also acknowledge that this event takes place on unceded First Nations Territory.
Also, be kind to our VOLUNTEER door staff. They have to follow BC Liquor Board Rules and once we are sold out we can’t let anyone in unless someone leaves. You cannot save seats for people in line. Let them know if you are leaving. Also no ATM at the door, it’s cash ONLY.
Get there early if you want a seat or want to slam. Before 7pm.