Open Mic Poetry at The Dalí

Open Mic Poetry at The Dalí is an evening of spoken word and community in St. Petersburg, Florida, held in the Will Raymund Theater at The Dalí Museum. Poets take the stage to share their work, and anyone who would rather listen is welcome too. It is hosted by Helen Pruitt Wallace, former Poet Laureate of St. Petersburg, in partnership with Curtis Davis and Dennis Amadeus of Tampa's GrowHouse poetry collective. All poetry styles are welcome, and the event is also livestreamed for people who want to watch from home.

What to Expect

The evening runs from 6:00pm to 7:30pm. A signup list is posted outside the Will Raymund Theater at 5:30pm. Twenty spots are open to poets in the order they sign up, and three standby slots are available if time allows. Each poet has three minutes at the mic.

You can come to read, to perform or simply to listen. The room is shaped by whoever signs up, so styles and subjects will vary. Mature content may be included, and an adult audience is recommended.

The event is livestreamed and recorded. Anyone who is uncomfortable with that should reconsider signing up to read. Past poetry performances can be viewed on the Museum's YouTube channel.

About Helen Pruitt Wallace

Helen Pruitt Wallace is a former Poet Laureate of St. Petersburg and curator of The Dalí Poetry series. Her individual poems have appeared in several journals and anthologies. Her books include Shimming the Glass House and the chapbook Pink Streets.

About Curtis Davis

Curtis Davis was born and raised in Tampa and has written and performed poetry since his high school years. He has competed in poetry slams across the country at regional, national and international levels. In 2018 he was a finalist at the Individual World Poetry Slam in San Diego and was ranked eighth poet in the world. He is Creative Director of the nonprofit Heard 'Em Say Youth Arts Collective and co-founder of GrowHouse with Dennis Amadeus.

About Dennis Amadeus

Dennis Amadeus is a spoken word poet, graphic designer, writer, educator, performance artist and community organizer. As a teaching artist he has travelled the country performing and leading arts-based workshops that help young people see their creative potential. His work includes mentoring youth poets, keynote speaking and designing arts-based curriculum. He has also organized community fundraisers and book drives, including a collection of 1000 books sent to Swaziland to build a community library.

About GrowHouse

GrowHouse is an artist collective dedicated to growing community, culture and creatives through poetry and hip-hop. It began in 2017 as a monthly event centered on the elements of hip-hop culture at the Ybor City Barbering Company, and became an official LLC in 2019 when Dennis Amadeus joined Curtis Davis. The collective is owned and operated by two artists of color in Tampa. It hosts a monthly poetry slam and weekly poetry workshops in the historic Kress building in Ybor City.

The Setting

The reading takes place in the Will Raymund Theater at The Dalí Museum in St. Petersburg. The event is held on the Museum's ground floor, which is free and open to the public. Gallery access is not included.

Before You Go

- Arrive by 5:30pm if you want to read, since the signup list goes up then and spots are given in order.
- Prepare a piece that fits within three minutes.
- No experience is required to attend as a listener, and every poetry style is welcome.
- If you cannot come in person, the livestream is available on YouTube at the time of the program.