Brighton Park Poets collabs with Guild Literary Complex for this Palabra Pura bilingual open mic! Poetry open mic curated and hosted by Paige Savarese. Founder of BPP Palabra Pura is a bilingual reading series that promotes literary expression in Spanish, English, and/or other languages. Launched in 2006, the series celebrates the work of Latinx writers...
Celebrate a next generation of writers with us who’ve recently come out with new books.This showcase aims to highlight local writers and their new/upcoming work. Join us for a community reading featuring local Chicago writers: Billy Tuggle C. Russell Price Kathleen Rooney Shivani Gupta
Join us this September for our quarterly open mic and performance series, TRANSVENGENCE TRANSVENGENCE: Vol. 13 Hosted by Joss Barton Featuring Kitch Annette Doors: 7PM Open Mic: 8PM Performances: 8:30PM Special performance: Kitch will be doing a trans drag talk show in the vein of the 90's daytime format Kitch Annette Kitch Annette...
The Gwendolyn Brooks Open Mic Awards (GBOMA), founded by Gwendolyn Brooks and presented annually by Guild Literary Complex, celebrates outstanding original poetry by Illinois writers. Finalists selected by guest judge I.S. Jones will perform their work live for a chance to win a $500 audience prize, publication in RHINO Poetry, and an invitation to read...
The first and only Spanish language slam in Chicago returns in-person! The first and only Spanish language slam in Chicago returns in-person! All participants have a chance to compete at...
Presented in partnership with the Guild Literary Complex Join us for a free poetry reading celebrating National Black Poetry Day. Honoring the history and continued legacy of Black poetry, the...
An exclusive screening of the film La Bola Negra & pre-show poetry performances by the Guild Literary Complex's Palabra Pura community Join us for a special screening of La Bola...
The first and only Spanish language slam in Chicago returns in-person! Primera llamada to this year’s GRAND SLAM! Winners go on to Abya Yala Poetry Slam and Circuito Nacional Poetry Slam México - asà que échenle todo el power a sus versos que con la poesÃa se viaja. All participants have a chance to compete...
The Guild Literary Complex partners with the Evanston Writers Workshop to host a reading at the In the Trenches Conference 2026 featuring finalists from our 2026 Gwendolyn Brooks Open Mic...
Saturday, November 21st / 6:30 @ Haymarket House Transvengence Vol. 14 features the book launch of Goodbye to a Dream Believed by Joss Barton. Joss Barton will perform readings from...
