Regardless of where you are in your process, keeping a PPS (poetry positioning system) handy and a fully-charged creative battery can make all the difference. 😉

And that’s exactly what TPP is for!

Here’s your curated guide to the PVD poetry scene for the rest of July. Whether you’re looking for a stage or a submission call, this is worth the read. ⬇

The premier local events you shouldn't miss for the rest of the month:

The Tea: The open mic is open to all ages + all literary genres. There is a suggested donation of $5-$10 but no one will be turned away for lack of funds. At 7:00 PM, doors open and sign-up lists for both the open mic & the poetry slam go out. Show starts at 8:00 PM.

Why come? This is the final show of the season before their August break. If you want to compete in the slam, arrive early—slots are capped at 8 poets and are first-come, first-served.

The Tea: Valerie Hsiung reads from her latest multi-genre book, THE PEDESTRIAN. She is joined by a lineup of interdisciplinary writers and artists: Sara Deniz Akant, Mary-Kim Arnold, Darcie Dennigan, and Thirii Myo Kyaw Myint.

Why come? A lineup of this caliber is a masterclass in interdisciplinary practice so take advantage of the rare opportunity to hear these esteemed voices all in one room!

The Tea: Three-day festival featuring 16 teams in a regional slam, plus workshops and community fairs at the Cambridge Foundry and Central Square Theater.

Why come? This is the largest performance poetry weekend in New England! The infrastructure of the regional poetry industry at scale. It’s the place to see how different venues across the Northeast are building their own poetry scenes and witness the fire being brought to mics across the region.

Resources and digital spaces for the home-body poet or remote poetry explorer:

The tea? Akeem Davis, a Barrymore Award-winning actor and non-profit administrator, leads this workshop on the specifics of filing taxes as an artist. Topics include separating personal and artistic finances, filing a Schedule C, and tracking deductions.

Why check it out? The financial piece of being an artist in the U.S. is something (unfortunately) every artist needs to have a handle on but few actually do (or even talk about). This workshop is suitable for artists of all disciplines and seem like it will help provide the logistical framework needed to build a sustainable career.

The tea? A collective of NYC-based poets known as the Dope Poets discuss the culture, craft, and business of spoken word. They cover everything from etiquette in poetry spaces to the responsibility that comes with calling yourself a poet.

Why check it out? These dope poets are pulling back the curtain on the "politics of poetry" & discussing what it truly means to live life and make a living with poetry. I binged all the episodes this past week while I worked on stuff for the PVD Poetry Crawl, and the insights into the industry & shared laughter about the absurdities of the culture are well worth the hours you’ll need to catch up.

The tea? A selection of tracks I curated to help you lock in during your next writing or editing session.

Why check it out? Pick up the pen or sit down at your laptop this week & let this be your soundtrack to great writing. Experiment a little, won’t you?

Opportunities to share your latest drafts or favorite finished pieces:

The tea? swamp pink publishes fiction, poetry, and nonfiction semi-monthly. They seek exceptional work from writers at all career stages, with a specific interest in submissions from writers of color and underrepresented communities.

Why check it out? They pay their contributors. (We’re here for paying for creative labor 👏) Poems receive $40 each, and prose pays $0.05 per word (up to $200). For poetry, you should submit a set of 3-6 poems. Let me know if you decide to take advantage of the free submissions!

The tea? An open mic where producers, rappers, singers, poets, and storytellers share work in a relaxed, creative setting.

Why check it out? Testing work in a live environment provides immediate feedback on what resonates with an audience and how you feel saying the words aloud. (Performance is a form of editing in this way.) Signups to take the stage are between 7:00–8:00 PM; tickets are $7 in advance or $10 at the door. So grab yours now to save money & your spot!

TPP Submission Options | Featured Slots Available August–December

The tea? I am still searching for one poem & one essay to anchor each second-half monthly edition for the remainder of the year.

Why check it out? This is an opportunity to have your work featured on the TPP site, newsletter, & socials. We are building a professional archive of the voices defining our local scene. (Documenting our local poetry legacy.) Send PDFs or Google Doc links for poems & essays to me directly at [email protected].

A special congratulations is in order! 🥳

One of Providence’s own, Damont Combs (also known by his stage name Mr. Orange Live) has officially been accepted into the Recording Academy’s 2026 New Member Class as a Voting Member.

His inclusion in the Academy means there’ll be more people at the table during the Grammy voting process to push for recognition in poetry performance. And while he advocates for the art form on a national stage, Damont continues important work as the Executive Director of Tell Your Truth, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to amplifying authentic artistic voices, and serves as Program Director of Poetry Out Loud, inspiring young poets across communities. His poetry explores identity, resilience, & social change and I highly recommend supporting his work directly by securing a copy of his latest collection, ORANGE WILL RISE.