FIRST SLAM OF THE SEASON! Bloomington Poetry Slam September Slam feat. Wesley Frazier-Keys
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FIRST SLAM OF THE 2026-2027 SEASON!!!
Sign up via Google Form: https://forms.gle/w9BaGLQrv54qN6yp8
Join us and your local wordsmiths for a night of poetry, libations, and passion! The night begins with an open mic featuring local artists, singers, musicians, and writers then ends with a poetry slam.
If you've ever considered performing but needed extra encouragement, consider this it! Open mic is open to all types of stage performance. Slam is all original work, competition style.
Featured Poet for September is Wesley Frazier-Keys!
Wesley Frazier-Keys is an award-winning poet, spoken word artist, educator, and teaching artist from Chicago’s South Side. A two-time Chicago Grand Slam Champion, Wesley has competed nationally and internationally, including finalist appearances at the Southern Fried Poetry Festival. He is the 2022 NFSPS BlackBerryPeach Spoken Word National Champion and the 2025 Gwendolyn Brooks Open Mic Award Champion. His viral spoken-word video has garnered more than 2.4 million views, amplifying his powerful work to audiences worldwide. His poetry blends personal experience, cultural heritage, education, and community, using language to inspire, challenge, and connect.
Get a taste of our feature here:
Hosted by Andrea M. Sterling & Dan "Sully" Sullivan
Grooves brought to you by DJ Good Peoples
Venue is wheelchair accessible.
For complete slam competition rules, click here:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1JJU6fVB7a7dReOzE56YxFEx-c-VhvUwA2hehWWSIzDg/edit?usp=sharing
By the way, are you following on Instagram? (https://www.instagram.com/bloomingtonpoetryslam)
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More info for potential participants!
All open mic and slam participants must check in at the stage by 8:30pm.
Participants arriving after 8:45pm risk losing their reserved spot to someone on the waitlist.
Space is limited; submitting this form does not guarantee a spot. Slam staff will contact you once your spot is confirmed.
Open Mic: A 3-minute spot open to all forms of performance art.
Poetry Slam: A two-round poetry competition. The top 2–3 scoring poets advance to round two. Slam poems are limited to 3 minutes 10 seconds (time penalties apply after that). Poems must be your own original work (no covers). Props, instruments, and costumes are not allowed.
The Bloomington Poetry Slam audience is famously supportive — they want you to succeed, feel seen, and be celebrated for your work. Respect goes both ways: by signing up for the open mic or slam, you agree to uphold our community agreements. No homophobic, transphobic, racist, ableist, misogynistic, xenophobic, or otherwise discriminatory language is permitted.
Open Mic:
1. Joseph C.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Open Mic Waiting List:
1.
2.
3.
Sacrificial Poet:
Tyler F.
Slam:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Slam Waitlist:
1.
2.
3.
Sign up via Google Form: https://forms.gle/w9BaGLQrv54qN6yp8
Join us and your local wordsmiths for a night of poetry, libations, and passion! The night begins with an open mic featuring local artists, singers, musicians, and writers then ends with a poetry slam.
If you've ever considered performing but needed extra encouragement, consider this it! Open mic is open to all types of stage performance. Slam is all original work, competition style.
Featured Poet for September is Wesley Frazier-Keys!
Wesley Frazier-Keys is an award-winning poet, spoken word artist, educator, and teaching artist from Chicago’s South Side. A two-time Chicago Grand Slam Champion, Wesley has competed nationally and internationally, including finalist appearances at the Southern Fried Poetry Festival. He is the 2022 NFSPS BlackBerryPeach Spoken Word National Champion and the 2025 Gwendolyn Brooks Open Mic Award Champion. His viral spoken-word video has garnered more than 2.4 million views, amplifying his powerful work to audiences worldwide. His poetry blends personal experience, cultural heritage, education, and community, using language to inspire, challenge, and connect.
Get a taste of our feature here:
Hosted by Andrea M. Sterling & Dan "Sully" Sullivan
Grooves brought to you by DJ Good Peoples
Venue is wheelchair accessible.
For complete slam competition rules, click here:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1JJU6fVB7a7dReOzE56YxFEx-c-VhvUwA2hehWWSIzDg/edit?usp=sharing
By the way, are you following on Instagram? (https://www.instagram.com/bloomingtonpoetryslam)
--
More info for potential participants!
All open mic and slam participants must check in at the stage by 8:30pm.
Participants arriving after 8:45pm risk losing their reserved spot to someone on the waitlist.
Space is limited; submitting this form does not guarantee a spot. Slam staff will contact you once your spot is confirmed.
Open Mic: A 3-minute spot open to all forms of performance art.
Poetry Slam: A two-round poetry competition. The top 2–3 scoring poets advance to round two. Slam poems are limited to 3 minutes 10 seconds (time penalties apply after that). Poems must be your own original work (no covers). Props, instruments, and costumes are not allowed.
The Bloomington Poetry Slam audience is famously supportive — they want you to succeed, feel seen, and be celebrated for your work. Respect goes both ways: by signing up for the open mic or slam, you agree to uphold our community agreements. No homophobic, transphobic, racist, ableist, misogynistic, xenophobic, or otherwise discriminatory language is permitted.
Open Mic:
1. Joseph C.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Open Mic Waiting List:
1.
2.
3.
Sacrificial Poet:
Tyler F.
Slam:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Slam Waitlist:
1.
2.
3.
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Where is it happening?
The Bishop, 123 S Walnut St, Bloomington, IN 47404-6114, United States
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
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