Poetry Slam, Inc.

History

Poetry Slam, Inc. was established on August 9, 1997 On November 9, 1999, PSi became an Illinois Charitable Trust, and was granted tax-exempt status days later.

The goals set by the Amended Articles of Incorporation include educational and literary purposes such as:

• «Advocate, promote, support, witness, and/or perpetuate the art of performance poetry»,
• «Enhance the perception of literary merit and legitimacy of performance poetry as an art form»,
• «Protect the artistic and financial interests of the National Poetry Slam community».

PSi created a website and held a summer workshop at SUNY-Oneonta. It staged slams on a major cable television network and organized annual regional competitions in numerous host cities converging the more talented participants on the annual National Poetry Slam.

Poetry slams are maintained in a number of cities by local volunteer organizers.

Poetry Slam, Inc.'s voting body elected in 2018 to cease its three major 2019 poetry slams. The Womxn of the World Poetry Slam resumed in 2020 with a new official website and management team.

Organizational structure

PSi's Executive Council is headed by a seven-member board of poets and slam organizers, elected by representatives of local slams (SlamMasters) every two years. It maintains a certification process for poetry slam series and holds annual organizational meetings.

References

References

1. "What is Poetry Slam, Inc.?".
2. (2009). "The Cultural Politics of Slam Poetry: Race, Identity, and the Performance of Popular Verse in America". University of Michigan Press.
3. (2021). "The Cambridge Companion to Twenty-First-Century American Poetry". Cambridge University Press.
4. "Womxn of the World Poetry Slam".