Read Poetry takes on the NYC Poetry Festival
Read Poetry, in support of Andrews McMeel Publishing (AMP), served as a platinum sponsor of this year’s New York City Poetry Festival. The 9th annual event, which was held the last weekend in July on NYC’s Governors Island, welcomed more than 14,000 people and hosted 250+ poets on five stages over two days. With its strong brand recognition, Read Poetry/AMP stood out among the pack of nearly 50 poetry and publishing vendors. Aspiring poets and poetry patrons alike applauded our support of the poetry community and inquired about how to partner with us.
Read Poetry/AMP hosted a total of four poetry readings, six poet signings and 235 books. On Saturday afternoon, poets Upile Chisala and Alison Malee read their work to a snapping, clapping and spirited crowd sitting in the grass, and signed books for admiring fans at our tent afterward.
An evening reading brought poets Amanda Torroni and Emmy Marucci to the stage with poems of grief and healing, some even accompanied by music.
Amanda Lovelace and Cyrus Parker signed books for adoring fans at our tent on Sunday as more aspiring poets streamed by, hoping to submit their work.
The purpose of the festival, which is hosted by The Poetry Society of New York, is to “liberate poets and their work” from everyday solitude and unite them “in the bright light of day to meet, mingle and collaborate.”
“It was incredibly inspiring to see the interactions of our poets with their fans and witness firsthand how much our poets’ work has impacted people,” said Read Poetry Marketing Manager Cat Vaughn.
Check out Read Poetry’s video tour of the festival below.
Read Poetry is a safe space to explore identity, diversity and empowerment, providing a familiar but current look into the human experience. It is an online community where we celebrate poetry around the world and encourage readers to discover poetry that speaks to them.
Visit Andrews McMeel Publishing for more information about poetry or book submissions.