The Worcester Poets' Asylum was founded by Bill MacMillan and Lea Deschenes in late 1990 as an offshoot of the Works in Progress/Open Stage at the Worcester Artists group. It came into its own as a weekly reading series in February of 1991, shortly after the first poetry slam in the city was held, and has continued into the present over twenty years and various venues to become known as one of the premiere performance poetry venues in the New England area.
In its twenty year history, the Poets' Asylum reading series has brought prosperity to the literary community in Worcester through various means. This reading series has hosted over 300 different featured poets from all over the US, from Canada, Great Britain, Germany, Australia, South Africa, and Sweden. The Asylum prides itself on the diversity of its features. Poets who have graced our stages include National Slam champions such as Ms magazine columnist, Patricia Smith, Regie Gibson, Gayle Danley, Roger Bonair-Agard, and Shane Koyczan, as well as the founder of slam poetry, Marc Smith. Our stage has been host to experimental and multi-voice performances by poets such as Eriki Lappalanen, local latin favorites, the Bohemian Latin Stand, feminist three-voice group, The Morrigan, the SlamAmerica tour with its national rotating troupe on a packed bus, motorcycle sweethearts, the Highway Poets, and the renowned Ozarks Poets and Writers Collective. We have also been blessed with performances by ManicD author, Jeffrey McDaniel, Cambridge slam founder, Mt. Ida professor and Tia Chucha author, Michael Brown, international activist, Dennis Brutus, as well as the likes of public access personality, Jack McCarthy, Old Vienna organizer, Tim Mason, and outlaw poet, Taylor Mali.
To the credit of the Poets' Asylum are participants who are able to boast features and organization on 1995's Lollapalooza and the 2000 National Poetry Slam in Providence, Rhode Island, and appearances at the 1998 Taos Poetry Circus in New Mexico, the Austin International Poetry Festival, the Boston Globe Book Festival, Sober in the Sun, North by Northwest, the Hear in Rhode Island Festival, and First Night in Boston, Providence and Worcester. Participants in the readership of the series have also enjoyed numerous publishing credits, including the 2000 ManicD release Slam the Art of Competitive Poetry, toured nationally, run small presses, and won illustrious awards at Worcester State College and through the Worcester County Poetry Association's annual poetry contest, as well as competed on finalist and championship slam teams. They also can note credits in independently produced Slamnation (1999) and SlamAmerica (release date 2001). The Asylum has participated in the National Poetry Slam annually, fielding teams for national competition since 1993, and in 1998 fielded a teen slam team for competition in the first annual National Youth Poetry Slam. We hope to continue to support our readership in future endeavors.
The Worcester Poets' Asylum has always maintained a mix of open mic readings, featured poets, and poetry slams. The series is open to all poets and writers, all ability levels, all styles, all ages, with no constraints on content or language. The reading is one of a few in the city which has never asked for a cover charge, paying its featured poets through the fundraising efforts of its dedicated readership and the generosity of its audience and open mic-ers.
The Asylum is intent on spreading the word of Words through organizing and implementing workshops and performance poetry demonstrations at local colleges, middle- and highschools, festivals, and as well, has hosted workshops at the reading venue for the general public. We have also supported local charities such as Abby's House through poetry fundraising events. It is exciting to note that the impact of the Poets' Asylum has far-reaching impact, fostering the inceptions of readings in places such as Amherst, MA, Savannah, GA, and Newark, DE.
The Poets' Asylum met at the Java Hut (formerly at 1073A Main Street, Worcester) from 1996 through December 2007. The Java Hut has been an excellent venue for the Poets' Asylum and we will miss their support. From December 2007 through June 2008 the Poets' Asylum met at the Q Cafe (formerly on Chandler Street, Worcester). Between August 2008 and December 2010 the reading met at the Nu Cafe (formerly Jumpin' Juice and Java), 335 Chandler Street in Worcester.
Currently the reading meets in the Front Room at WCUW (910 Main Street, Worcester), Worcester's community radio station. The reading is held on Sunday night at 7:00 p.m. For more information, check out the rest of this website, contact us at webmaster@poetsasylum.org, or via snail mail sent to PO Box 3094, Worcester, MA, 01613. Or better yet, just stop in sometime.