ICP teams up with the Nuyorican Poets Café for open mic series

Image by Gabrielle Ravet via ICP 

After celebrating its 50th anniversary, the Nuyorican Poets Café closed on Nov. 1 for a long-awaited $24 million, three-year renovation project on Third Street between Avenue B and Avenue C. 

As previously reported, the Nuyorican staff was planning on staging pop-ups and collaborating with other New York institutions during the renovation. 

Starting on Jan. 18, the International Center of Photography (ICP) is bringing the Café's iconic poetry events to its Essex Street space. 

Here's more about the Nuyorican Poets Café x ICP: 1,000 Words Open Mic Series via the EVG inbox... 

Visit on Jan. 18, March 7, and May 9 for a series of open-mics with a photographic twist and share your poetic take inspired by images and ICP exhibitions. 

The first Nuyorican Poets Café x ICP: 1,000 Words Open Mic Series installment will take place on Jan. 18 in ICP's cafe while the galleries are closed for installation. This event is free to attend, with registration in advance strongly encouraged (link here). 

How It Works 

• 6 p.m. — check in. The open mic list is open for all attendees, sign up onsite, first come, first served. Each performer is encouraged to provide one photograph to perform in front of — please have your image ready to share via email upon arrival. 

• 6:30 p.m. — performances begin. Each performer is allowed 3 minutes. 

• 8 p.m. — end of performances.