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DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260812T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260812T210000
DTSTAMP:20260803T210414Z
CREATED:20260715T040322Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260803T210414Z
UID:15269-1786559400-1786568400@guildcomplex.org
SUMMARY:¡Slam Diáspora en Vivo!
DESCRIPTION:The first and only Spanish language slam in Chicago returns in-person! All participants have a chance to compete at the international level at the final slam hosted by a Latinx country (TBD). Hosted and curated by Crystal Vance Guerra and Luis Tubens “Logan Lu.” \nOpen to poets of all styles and ages! From anyone who is just starting\, to anyone who has been writing for decades\, are all welcome to participate. SIGN UP HERE. \nRequirements:\nSlam– 2 poems in Spanish/Spanglish\nOpen Mic– Any genre of performance art in any language! \nWe believe that poetry pertains to everyone\, and that all of us carry it within us. This slam is to experiment\, play\, and to let the words flow. \nRemember: the point is not the points\, the point is the community. We want to nurture a poetic community\, and invite new people to participate as audience members\, as poets\, and as spoken-word lovers.\nSlam Diáspora is the first Spanish slam in the U.S. and aims to create a space that unites Latinx poets in the US with poets in Latin America\, to form a poetry community despite borders. Participants and winners from last year can participate again! \n\n¡Abierto a poetas de todos estilos y edades! Desde quien apenas esta empezando a escribir\, a quienes llevan décadas escribiendo– todos están bienvenidos a participar. REGÍSTRATE AQUÍ. \nRequisitos:\nSlam– Dos poemas (en español/spanglish)\nOpen Mic– Música/Poesía/Cuento etc\, en cualquier idioma \nCreemos que la poesía le pertenece a todxs\, y que todxs traemos poesía adentro. Este Slam es para experimentar\, jugar\, y dejar que la palabra fluya. \nRecuerden: el punto no son los puntos\, sino la comuna. Queremos crecer como comunidad poética\, e invitar a nuevas personas a participar como audiencia\, cómo poetas\, y cómo amantes de la palabra viva.\nSlam Diáspora es el primer slam de poesía en español de los EEUU y busca crear un espacio que une\npoetas Latinx en los EEUU con poetas en Latinoamérica para fomentar una comunidad poética a pesar de las fronteras. ¡Participantes y ganadores del año pasado pueden participar de nuevo! \n\nJUEZ DE HONOR: YOLANDA NIEVES\nYolanda Nieves\, born and raised in Chicago’s Humboldt Park neighborhood\, identifies as a second-generation Puerto Rican and is an activist scholar\, poet\, playwright\, director\, and educator. She is the author of two poetry books with Plain View Press: Dove Over Clouds (2007) and The Spoken Body (2010). Nieves’s research and poetry feature Latine women’s narratives about their history in Humboldt Park. Her activist projects have included teacher training in Costa Rica\, Guatemala\, and Puerto Rico\, and the Hopi Nation’s Gathering of Men and Women in Arizona. \nNieves’s research and poems have been published in the Journal of Latina Critical Feminism\, Edges and Borders journal\, and Wherever I’m At: An Anthology of Chicago Poetry and with After Hours Press. Nieves received the American Educational Research Association’s Outstanding Dissertation Award for Arts-Based Research in 2010 and the National Conference of Puerto Rican Women’s Woman of the Year Award in 2012. In 2014 she was awarded Northeastern Illinois University’s Distinguished Alumnus Award\, and in 2016 she received the Kirchmeier Teaching Award from the North Central Council of Latin Americanists. \nNieves earned a bachelor’s and a master’s from Loyola University Chicago\, a master’s from Northeastern Illinois University\, and a doctorate in adult education from National Louis University. She teaches at the City Colleges of Chicago. Nieves writes that she fully embraces Mindy Nettifee’s\, author of Glitter in the Blood\, idea: “be intentional about your meaning even when you don’t exactly know what you mean.”
URL:https://guildcomplex.org/event/slam-diaspora-2026-1/
LOCATION:Taqueria El Mezquite\, 1756 West 18th Street\, Chicago\, IL\, 60608\, United States
CATEGORIES:Partner Event,Slam Diáspora
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://guildcomplex.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Slam-diaspora-2026.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260909T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260909T210000
DTSTAMP:20260831T203329Z
CREATED:20260811T001524Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260831T203329Z
UID:15298-1788980400-1788987600@guildcomplex.org
SUMMARY:¡Slam Diáspora en Vivo!
DESCRIPTION:The first and only Spanish language slam in Chicago returns in-person!\n\n\nThe first and only Spanish language slam in Chicago returns in-person! All participants have a chance to compete at the international level at the final slam hosted by a Latinx country (TBD). Hosted and curated by Crystal Vance Guerra and Luis Tubens “Logan Lu.” \nOpen to poets of all styles and ages! From anyone who is just starting\, to anyone who has been writing for decades\, are all welcome to participate. SIGN UP HERE. \nRequirements:\nSlam– 2 poems in Spanish/Spanglish\nOpen Mic– Any genre of performance art in any language! \nWe believe that poetry pertains to everyone\, and that all of us carry it within us. This slam is to experiment\, play\, and to let the words flow. \nRemember: the point is not the points\, the point is the community. We want to nurture a poetic community\, and invite new people to participate as audience members\, as poets\, and as spoken-word lovers.\nSlam Diáspora is the first Spanish slam in the U.S. and aims to create a space that unites Latinx poets in the US with poets in Latin America\, to form a poetry community despite borders. Participants and winners from last year can participate again! \n——————————————– \n¡Abierto a poetas de todos estilos y edades! Desde quien apenas esta empezando a escribir\, a quienes llevan décadas escribiendo– todos están bienvenidos a participar. REGÍSTRATE AQUÍ. \nRequisitos:\nSlam– Dos poemas (en español/spanglish)\nOpen Mic– Música/Poesía/Cuento etc\, en cualquier idioma \nCreemos que la poesía le pertenece a todxs\, y que todxs traemos poesía adentro. Este Slam es para experimentar\, jugar\, y dejar que la palabra fluya. \nRecuerden: el punto no son los puntos\, sino la comuna. Queremos crecer como comunidad poética\, e invitar a nuevas personas a participar como audiencia\, cómo poetas\, y cómo amantes de la palabra viva.\nSlam Diáspora es el primer slam de poesía en español de los EEUU y busca crear un espacio que une\npoetas Latinx en los EEUU con poetas en Latinoamérica para fomentar una comunidad poética a pesar de las fronteras. ¡Participantes y ganadores del año pasado pueden participar de nuevo! \nJUEZ DE HONOR: MIGUEL MENDEZ\n\nNació en El Paso\, Texas y creció en Ciudad Juárez\, Mexico. Más tarde\, su familia se mudo a Chicago. Asistió a Northeastern Illinois University y obtuvo una licenciatura en Español con enfoque en Literatura Latinoamericana y una especialización en Estudios Latinoamericanos. Terminó su maestría en Letras Hispánicas en la Universidad de Loyola de Chicago y su interés de investigación se centra en la escritura creativa de inmigrantes mexicanos en Chicago. Es un poeta y escritor activo y ha participado en varios eventos de poesía en la ciudad. Algunos de sus textos se encuentran en las revistas literarias de Chicago Contratiempo y El Beisman.
URL:https://guildcomplex.org/event/slam-diaspora-en-vivo-2025-2/
LOCATION:Taqueria El Mezquite\, 1756 West 18th Street\, Chicago\, IL\, 60608\, United States
CATEGORIES:Partner Event,Slam Diáspora
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://guildcomplex.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/1929ca891e0edbcb17aae711abe76311-wA4LVA.tmp_.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260912T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260913T180000
DTSTAMP:20260811T021841Z
CREATED:20260811T021841Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260811T021841Z
UID:15309-1789207200-1789322400@guildcomplex.org
SUMMARY:Guild Literary Complex @ Printers Row Lit Fest
DESCRIPTION:Join us at Printers Row Lit Fest from September 12-13! The Guild Literary Complex is excited to host our annual Authors Table (TBA) where anyone at the fest has the opportunity to chat with prolific and flourishing authors and pick up a signed copy of one of their books. \nWe will also host a Musicality of Poetry event at PRLF featuring author Nikki Patin who will sign books afterwards. \nMore details to come.
URL:https://guildcomplex.org/event/guild-literary-complex-prlf-2026/
LOCATION:Printers Row\, Between Dearborn and Polk \, Chicago
CATEGORIES:Musicality of Poetry,Partner Event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://guildcomplex.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Printers-Row-2026.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260916T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260916T210000
DTSTAMP:20260821T210530Z
CREATED:20260811T041130Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260821T210530Z
UID:15315-1789585200-1789592400@guildcomplex.org
SUMMARY:Palabra Pura x Brighton Park Poets
DESCRIPTION:Brighton Park Poets collabs with Guild Literary Complex for this Palabra Pura bilingual open mic!\n\n\nPoetry open mic curated and hosted by Paige Savarese. \nFounder of BPP \nPalabra 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 in Chicago and beyond\, and provides a space for the interaction of diverse voices\, ideas\, and aesthetics. \n—————————————————————————- \nPalabra Pura es una serie de lecturas bilingües que promueve la expresión literaria en español\, inglés y otros idiomas. Lanzada en 2006\, la serie celebra la obra de escritores latinx dentro y fuera de Chicago\, y provee un espacio para la interacción de voces\, ideas y estéticas diversas.
URL:https://guildcomplex.org/event/palabra-pura-x-brighton-park-poets/
LOCATION:18th Street Casa de Cultura\, 2057 West 18th Street\, Chicago\, IL\, 60608\, United States
CATEGORIES:Palabra Pura
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://guildcomplex.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/palabra-pura-x-bpp.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260917T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260917T200000
DTSTAMP:20260819T180722Z
CREATED:20260814T200645Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260819T180722Z
UID:15329-1789668000-1789675200@guildcomplex.org
SUMMARY:New/Next Writers Showcase
DESCRIPTION:Celebrate a next generation of writers with us who’ve recently come out with new books.\n\n\nThis 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
URL:https://guildcomplex.org/event/new-next-writers-showcase-2/
LOCATION:Beat Kitchen\, 2100 W Belmont Ave\, Chicago\, IL\, 60618\, United States
CATEGORIES:Special Events
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://guildcomplex.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/7ec6cab6b3f1674754a7765a11466a5a-1IOW99.tmp_.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260920T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260920T220000
DTSTAMP:20260823T211456Z
CREATED:20260823T210820Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260823T211456Z
UID:15356-1789934400-1789941600@guildcomplex.org
SUMMARY:Transvengence Vol. 13
DESCRIPTION:Join us this September for our quarterly open mic and performance series\, TRANSVENGENCE\n\n\nTRANSVENGENCE: Vol. 13 \nHosted by Joss Barton \nFeaturing Kitch Annette \n  \nDoors: 7PM \nOpen Mic: 8PM \nPerformances: 8:30PM \n  \nSpecial performance: Kitch will be doing a trans drag talk show in the vein of the 90’s daytime format \nKitch Annette\n\n\nKitch Annette is a multi-disciplinary and campy conceptual artist who explores ideas of preserving queer history\, health justice\, and re-imagining pasts to envision possible futures. Kitch uses theatre\, drag\, and performance art to craft narrative displays – curating the personal stories and cultural references chosen to be brought to life. \nKitch was seen already this year premiering two original shows: “BACCHAE” – a full scale adaptation of Euripedies’ “The Bacchae” as a 2025 DCASE grantee\, and “In the Kitchen with Kitch Annette: The Harm Reduction Episode” – a solo workshop turned fever dream drag show for Center on Halsted’s Trans Youth & Family Action Summit.
URL:https://guildcomplex.org/event/transvengence-vol-13/
LOCATION:Podlasie Club\, 2918 North Central Park Avenue\, Chicago\, IL\, 60618\, United States
CATEGORIES:Press Room,Transvengence
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://guildcomplex.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/93affa92d6adfea4c66dbc665e328674-SZva4s.tmp_.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261001T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261001T203000
DTSTAMP:20260921T172719Z
CREATED:20260917T214028Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260921T172719Z
UID:15374-1790881200-1790886600@guildcomplex.org
SUMMARY:Gwendolyn Brooks Open Mic Awards (GBOMA) 2026
DESCRIPTION: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 at the Evanston Writers Workshop’s 2026 conference. \nBUY TICKETS HERE: https://epiphanychi.com/events/gwendolyn-brooks-open-mic-awards-gboma-2026-finals/ \nDate: Thursday\, October 1st\, 2026 \nDoors: 5:00 PM \nShowtime: 7:00 PM \nAt Chase House \n2026 GBOMA Finalists \nDywaine Betts Jr \nJohn Franklin Dandridge \nSylvia Ewing* \nLotus Fulton \nGregorio Gomez \nThomas Gossett \nSamina Hadi-Tabassum* \nDavid Mathews \nDavid Orr* \nHilesh Patel \nSandra Santiago \nSuzie Torres \nKira Tucker \nSooahn Yang \nMiranda Barfuss \nE’mon Lauren
URL:https://guildcomplex.org/event/gwendolyn-brooks-open-mic-awards-gboma-2026/
LOCATION:Epiphany Center for the Arts\, 201 South Ashland Ave.\, Chicago\, IL\, 60647\, United States
CATEGORIES:GBOMA
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://guildcomplex.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Flyer-3.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261014T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261014T210000
DTSTAMP:20260811T002715Z
CREATED:20260811T001526Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260811T002715Z
UID:15300-1792004400-1792011600@guildcomplex.org
SUMMARY:¡Slam Diáspora en Vivo!
DESCRIPTION:The first and only Spanish language slam in Chicago returns in-person!\n\n\nThe first and only Spanish language slam in Chicago returns in-person! All participants have a chance to compete at the international level at the final slam hosted by a Latinx country (TBD). Hosted and curated by Crystal Vance Guerra and Luis Tubens “Logan Lu.” \nOpen to poets of all styles and ages! From anyone who is just starting\, to anyone who has been writing for decades\, are all welcome to participate. SIGN UP HERE. \nRequirements:\nSlam– 2 poems in Spanish/Spanglish\nOpen Mic– Any genre of performance art in any language! \nWe believe that poetry pertains to everyone\, and that all of us carry it within us. This slam is to experiment\, play\, and to let the words flow. \nRemember: the point is not the points\, the point is the community. We want to nurture a poetic community\, and invite new people to participate as audience members\, as poets\, and as spoken-word lovers.\nSlam Diáspora is the first Spanish slam in the U.S. and aims to create a space that unites Latinx poets in the US with poets in Latin America\, to form a poetry community despite borders. Participants and winners from last year can participate again! \n——————————————– \n¡Abierto a poetas de todos estilos y edades! Desde quien apenas esta empezando a escribir\, a quienes llevan décadas escribiendo– todos están bienvenidos a participar. REGÍSTRATE AQUÍ. \nRequisitos:\nSlam– Dos poemas (en español/spanglish)\nOpen Mic– Música/Poesía/Cuento etc\, en cualquier idioma \nCreemos que la poesía le pertenece a todxs\, y que todxs traemos poesía adentro. Este Slam es para experimentar\, jugar\, y dejar que la palabra fluya. \nRecuerden: el punto no son los puntos\, sino la comuna. Queremos crecer como comunidad poética\, e invitar a nuevas personas a participar como audiencia\, cómo poetas\, y cómo amantes de la palabra viva.\nSlam Diáspora es el primer slam de poesía en español de los EEUU y busca crear un espacio que une\npoetas Latinx en los EEUU con poetas en Latinoamérica para fomentar una comunidad poética a pesar de las fronteras. ¡Participantes y ganadores del año pasado pueden participar de nuevo!
URL:https://guildcomplex.org/event/slam-diaspora-en-vivo-2026-3/
LOCATION:Taqueria El Mezquite\, 1756 West 18th Street\, Chicago\, IL\, 60608\, United States
CATEGORIES:Partner Event,Slam Diáspora
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://guildcomplex.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/1929ca891e0edbcb17aae711abe76311-wA4LVA.tmp_.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261111T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261111T210000
DTSTAMP:20260811T003043Z
CREATED:20260811T001527Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260811T003043Z
UID:15301-1794423600-1794430800@guildcomplex.org
SUMMARY:¡Slam Diáspora en Vivo!
DESCRIPTION:The first and only Spanish language slam in Chicago returns in-person!\n\n\nThe first and only Spanish language slam in Chicago returns in-person! All participants have a chance to compete at the international level at the final slam hosted by a Latinx country (TBD). Hosted and curated by Crystal Vance Guerra and Luis Tubens “Logan Lu.” \nOpen to poets of all styles and ages! From anyone who is just starting\, to anyone who has been writing for decades\, are all welcome to participate. SIGN UP HERE. \nRequirements:\nSlam– 2 poems in Spanish/Spanglish\nOpen Mic– Any genre of performance art in any language! \nWe believe that poetry pertains to everyone\, and that all of us carry it within us. This slam is to experiment\, play\, and to let the words flow. \nRemember: the point is not the points\, the point is the community. We want to nurture a poetic community\, and invite new people to participate as audience members\, as poets\, and as spoken-word lovers.\nSlam Diáspora is the first Spanish slam in the U.S. and aims to create a space that unites Latinx poets in the US with poets in Latin America\, to form a poetry community despite borders. Participants and winners from last year can participate again! \n——————————————– \n¡Abierto a poetas de todos estilos y edades! Desde quien apenas esta empezando a escribir\, a quienes llevan décadas escribiendo– todos están bienvenidos a participar. REGÍSTRATE AQUÍ. \nRequisitos:\nSlam– Dos poemas (en español/spanglish)\nOpen Mic– Música/Poesía/Cuento etc\, en cualquier idioma \nCreemos que la poesía le pertenece a todxs\, y que todxs traemos poesía adentro. Este Slam es para experimentar\, jugar\, y dejar que la palabra fluya. \nRecuerden: el punto no son los puntos\, sino la comuna. Queremos crecer como comunidad poética\, e invitar a nuevas personas a participar como audiencia\, cómo poetas\, y cómo amantes de la palabra viva.\nSlam Diáspora es el primer slam de poesía en español de los EEUU y busca crear un espacio que une\npoetas Latinx en los EEUU con poetas en Latinoamérica para fomentar una comunidad poética a pesar de las fronteras. ¡Participantes y ganadores del año pasado pueden participar de nuevo!
URL:https://guildcomplex.org/event/slam-diaspora-en-vivo-2026-4/
LOCATION:Taqueria El Mezquite\, 1756 West 18th Street\, Chicago\, IL\, 60608\, United States
CATEGORIES:Partner Event,Slam Diáspora
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://guildcomplex.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/1929ca891e0edbcb17aae711abe76311-wA4LVA.tmp_.jpg
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