Celebrating the depth and diversity of BC publishing
On Tuesday, October 3rd, at 6pm PDT, join Massy Arts Society and a collective of brilliant poet organizers for Under The Table Open Mic Series, featuring Erin Kirsh.
Doors and sign-up at 5:45, show starts at 6
(we run on crip time with the understanding that bodies and brains aren’t always on schedule)
We invite you to sign up for the open mic as Under The Table welcomes us to laugh, cry, celebrate and sit in the richness of queer and disabled life, writing and poetics.
If you’re signing up for the open mic, when possible please come with a physical or electronic copy of the poem that can be shared with the ASL interpreters, to provide better access for d/Deaf & hard of hearing audiences.
Under the Table is an open mic series centering disabled and/or queer poets. This series was dreamed up out of a desire to share work, experience art, and connect with community in a covid safer, more accessible, and anti-oppressive space. Partnering with Massy Voices and Kickstart Disability Arts & Culture, Under the Table Open Mic Series will be on the first Tuesday of each month with some events in person at Massy Arts Society and others virtually on zoom.
Venue & Accessibility
The event will be hosted at the Massy Arts Gallery, at 23 East Pender Street in Chinatown, Vancouver.
Massy Arts Gallery is a single-level space, in one single room. The entryway to the building is 38″ wide, with a transition less than 0.5″. The front door is a push door that swings inward to the left. There is no automatic opening door or switch but the door will stay open until the show starts. There is one gender inclusive bathroom in the space. The door is not automatic. Pull to enter, push to exit. The width of the doorway is 90cm / 35.5in. The bathroom is 45sq ft. There are two sets of grab bars located behind and to the right of the toilet.The space is a scent-free space. We kindly ask that event attendees refrain from wearing scented products in the space. The venue has a scent free soap and uses scent free cleaning products.
ASL interpretation is confirmed for the event. Please note that there may be some hiccups in interpretation for poems they are not able to read beforehand. For more info on accessibility including transit and parking, seating, and venue measurements and floor plan, please visit: massyarts.com/accessibility. If you have questions about accessibility at this event please email us at patricia@massybooks.com or underthetablepoetry@gmail.com
COVID-19 SAFETY
Masks are required for this event (N95 masks are recommended as they offer the best protection) and will be provided for anyone who does not bring one. There will be an air purifier in the space as well as antibacterial microphone covers. The host and feature poet will rapid test before the event and we encourage attendees to rapid test before coming as well. We ask that you stay home if you are showing symptoms or had a recent exposure.
About Under The Table:
Under the Table is a space where the richness that is queer and disabled life and art, flourishes and finds a home. It’s a space to share work that’s asking to be told, but might not be welcomed in other spaces, if you are able to access those spaces at all. It’s a space where being queer and/or disabled (whether or not those specific words resonate for you) makes your work a brilliant fit, regardless of how queer or disabled you think the poetry you wish to share is, how connected you are to disabled and/or queer community, and whether you feel disabled and/or queer “enough” to participate. It’s a space to witness and engage with the work of incredible artists, anywhere on their path of sharing their work–from the person who has never shared in front of an audience, to artists who have read or performed work many times. It’s a space where there’s room to be scared, and choose to be in community, share, and engage with others’ work. It’s a space where we don’t claim to know all the answers, but are willing to be in the messy, nuanced space of learning together. Come to “Under the Table” to laugh, cry, celebrate, sit in discomfort, feel understood, and be together.
This event has been made possible by The League of Canadian Poets, Kickstart Disability Arts and Culture, and the Canada Council for the Arts.
With Featured Poet:
Erin Kirsh is a queer, hard-of-hearing writer and performer from Toronto. Kirsh is a two-time member of the Vancouver Poetry Slam team and served as the Managing Director for the 2016 Verses Festival of Words. Erin’s poetry, fiction, and essays have appeared in magazines worldwide. When she’s not talking about books, Kirsh enjoys pop culture hot takes and befriending the neighbourhood cats.