By: Reiley Bartel, Online Editor
Are you a singer who just needs an audience? An aspiring poet who wants to test out your verse on a crowd?
Newman is putting on its last Open Mic event of the year at 2 p.m. Monday in the Steckline Gallery on the first floor of DeMattias Hall, and all are invited to perform or just watch.
Open Mic — a collaborative event put on by the English Department, the Art Department, Dugan Library and the Multicultural Leadership Organization — is a creative outlet for all students, organizers say.
“It is not meant to be a space for only experienced performers but rather for everyone who feels like they want to read a poem or sing a song,” said Minh Nguyen with MCLO. “Everything is encouraged as long as it is not meant to deconstruct the safe space we have at Open Mic.”
Noone needs to feel shy about taking the stage at Open Mic, Nguyen said. And if there are moments of silence between acts while people get up their courage to take the stage, volunteers are on hand to perform literature, poems and more.
“We commit to keeping the space safe and engaging for everyone no matter of ethnicity, race, language, religion, sexual orientations…” Nguyen said. “Students are more than welcome to do an original piece or a cover of anything, poetry, literature, musics, arts, etc.”
Open Mic is a come-and-go event that should last about an hour depending on how many people sign up to perform.
It will be hosted by Newman alumnus Matthew Clark, assisted by Nguyen. Professor Susan Crane is the main faculty organizer of the event, and the judges will be Dyana Baca and Wesley Cornett from Dugan Library.
PHOTO: Courtesy photo, Unsplash
