FREE VERSE: A Juneteenth Open Mic | Hosted by Tender René w/ DJ Jo

RSVPs for this event must be completed through The VORTEX website. RSVPs made on Eventbrite will NOT grant entry.

👉 Official RSVP link (required for entry):

https://the-vortex.my.salesforce-sites.com/ticket/#/events/a0SUf000003tOw1MAE

This Eventbrite page is for information only.

Performer sign-up is available at the box office. Prioritizing Black voices on the mic.
Afterparty immediately follows the open mic from 10PM-12:30AM inside the Butterfly Bar.

Celebrate Juneteenth with an unforgettable night of poetry, music, and community at every.Word Poetry’s FREE VERSE. Hosted by Tender René with sounds by DJ Jo, this special open mic and afterparty uplifts Black artistry, storytelling, and collective joy through spoken word performance.

Blending the intimacy of spoken word with the energy of a live cultural event, FREE VERSE creates space for both emerging and established artists to share work rooted in truth, resistance, vulnerability, humor, memory, and imagination. Audience members are invited not only to witness performance, but to participate in a living celebration of Black artistry and community connection.

For years, every.Word Poetry has become known throughout Austin for cultivating vibrant, care-centered artistic spaces where poetry exists beyond the page. FREE VERSE continues that tradition through a Juneteenth gathering that honors liberation as both remembrance and ongoing practice.

Whether you’re stepping to the mic or coming to witness powerful voices, FREE VERSE invites you into a space of liberation, creativity, and connection.

Sponsored by The VORTEX.