ABOUT POETIC POWER PEOPLE
20 Years of
Art & Social Change
Poetic People Power was founded in 2003 by writer Tara Bracco to create an ongoing project that combines poetry and activism. Now in its 20th year, Poetic People Power creatively explore social and political topics, offering insight and solutions to issues that affect our everyday lives. Using poetic storytelling, the group has presented 20 shows on timely topics including climate change, the global water crisis, human rights, inequality, and time poverty. Poetic People Power entertains and informs. It raises awareness on specific topics and engages audiences through the expressive art of poetry.
What art will you make?
What action will you take?
Photo by Mark Rywelski
20 Shows, 40 Writers, 130 Poems Commissioned
Previous shows include Women's Words About War (Bluestockings Bookstore, 2003); Voices on Voting and Democracy (Ars Nova Theater, 2004); Coming Clean: Poems for the Earth (Bowery Poetry Club, 2005); Raise the Wage (Nuyorican Poets Cafe, 2006); Sick & Tired: A Call for Universal Care (Bowery Poetry Club, 2007); Activism: The American Way (Bowery Poetry Club, 2008); Tapped Out: Words About The Water Crisis (Bowery Poetry Club, 2009); Price Check: How We Became A Culture Of Consumption (The Producers Club, 2010); The Revolution Will Be... (Nuyorican Poets Cafe, 2011); Retro-Active:10 Years of Poetic Action (Helen Mills Theater, 2012); Invisible Chains: Inequality in America (Wild Project Theater, 2013); Closed: NYC Shuts Its Doors To Artists (Theatre 80, 2014); #AntiSocial: The Dark Side of Social Media (Wild Project Theater, 2015); Take Your Time (Theater on Waverly, 2016); While We Were Sleeping (Dixon Place, 2017); Agitate: 15 Years of Poetic Action (Helen Mills Theater, 2017); Can You Hear Me Now? (Zoom, 2020); The Eco Rise (Zoom, 2021); Embrace 2021: Reclaim What You Love, Restore How You Feel (Zoom, 2021, co-produced with The Ink Project); and Not Yet Said (Caveat, 2023).
Photo by Mahir Sufian
MANY THANKS!
Big thanks to our funders over the years including the Puffin Foundation, Left Tilt Fund, Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, Yip Harburg Foundation, and individual supporters Roseanne & Denis Bracco, Louise Davis, Harriet Helman, Wende Jager-Hyman, Becky Katzman, and Robin Stern.
We are thankful to the many people who have generously offered their guidance, talent, time, support, or expertise to help make this project a success over the years: Rimsha Afzal, Sarah Grace Anders, Ben Arredondo, Kimmi Auerbach, Lyndsey Barratt, Chantal Bilodeau, Tom Block, Bluestockings, Roseanne & Denis Bracco, Jan Buskar, Joe Cairo, Gabriella Callender, Cap 21 Studios, Dan Caplan, Ximena Castillo, Tyler Christie, Felicia Chanco, Helen Churko, Sally Clark, Pete Davis, John de Graaf, Jill DiMartino Photography, Ragon Duffy, Jason Eagan at Ars Nova, Nadine Ezra, Ashley Faison, Daniel Gallant, Jennifer & Christopher Gandin Le, Stephanie Genkin, Jodi Gibson, Isabella Gomes, Joe Gonzalez, Chris Grace, Susan Grabel, Kayte Grace, Alyson Greenfield, Suzanne Grossman, Andrea Hance, Kathleen Hoff, Bob Holman & Matt Lydon at Bowery Poetry Club, Anne Huston & the staff at Caveat, Samantha Inesta, Wende Jager-Hyman, Jennifer Jones, Jim Joseph, Jeremy Karafin & the Wild Project Staff, Becky Katzman, Kristen Kemp, David King, Sid King, Russell Lerner, Julia Levine, Brooke Linville, Frank Lopez, Liz Maestri, Alane Marco, Miranda Massie, Danny Matos, Willow McCormick, Megan McGibney, Keri Meoni, Michele Miller, Ellen Mischinski, Darren Molovinsky, Jessica Morton, Melissa Fendell Moschitto, Martha Neighbors, New Georges, Michelle Ngo, Nola Studios, Toks Olagundoye, Mitchell Ost, Melanie Paccillo, Sandra Pons, Florence Poulain, Leah Rae Photography, Susanna Rasmussen, Karyn Raynor, Dana & Auguste Roc, Gussie Roc, Kelly Roberts, Colleen Rodd, Mark Rywelski, Andrea Sparacio, Kristine Schlachter, Lipica Shah, Shetal Shah, Nicole Shore, Jessica Slawson, Renee Smith, Robin Stern, Rich Tang, Fran Tarr, Jacquette Timmons, Theaterlab, The Ink Project, Joe Trentacosta, Jason Tseng, Jennifer van der Meer, Mollie Van Gordan, Natalia Vargas-Caba, Chauncey Velasco, Jonathan Walton, Marc Weisman, Stephanie Wesolosky, Angela Williams, Kryssy Wright, Justin Woo, Woodhull Institute, and Shandra Woworuntu.
Most of all we thank the awesome poets who have brought their rage and creativity to our stage!