Save the Poetry Jam!

SUPPORT PERFORMANCE POETRY!

Save the Poetry Jam, Finland's hottest live poetry club!

https://mesenaatti.me/tue-lavarunoutta/
https://mesenaatti.me/tue-lavarunoutta/
https://mesenaatti.me/tue-lavarunoutta/

The flagship event of cultural collective Helsinki Poetry Connection, the ultra-popular Poetry Jam club, needs your support!

Since 2009, the Poetry Jam has been a place where likeminded performers, whether beginners or grand masters, can come together, meet one another, enjoy verbal art at its best, and hone their skills on stage. We've hosted hundreds of poets, authors, rappers, spoken word artists, DJs, open micers, musicians, comedians, performance artists, and everyone who loves their material have had the chance to see and meet them all live. All of this for free.

The Poetry Jam club, which has been organized for the past seven years with cultural association Nuoren Voiman Liitto, finds itself without sufficient funding for the first time in its history. You can help us make all six Poetry Jam clubs of 2016 possible!

Background

We at the Helsinki Poetry Connection believe that performance poetry culture is only just burgeoning in Finland, and we have yet to meet a single obstacle or challenge that would curb our spirit. We've been able to offer a platform for a new form of connective and collaborative subculture for verbal art of all forms in exceptional and award-winning style. The Helsinki Poetry Connection has been instrumental in introducing Finland to the open mic concept, which has taken off in the past few years and become a pastime all over the country. Spoken word artists and other rising performers have found a place to be and a fanbase to treasure, with new stars being born constantly.

We average about 4,500 audience members a year, which is a stunning figure that has continued to grow each year. An estimated 2,500 open mic performers have taken to our stages from all walks of life and all ages, and offered us all unforgettable experiences.

We are where the roles of artist and fan mingle, where everyone is on the same page and has an opportunity to express themselves at our regular events. A number of international guests also grace our clubs each year, which in 2015 featured a number of hot spoken word commodities, among them the mesmerizing de facto US performance poet lauretae Sarah Kay. Performers regularly describe the atmosphere of the Poetry Jam club as one of the best they've ever encountered.

At this time, the Helsinki Poetry Connection's grant-based funding streams have experienced a drought. We have done our best to get by with what we have been offered so far, which we have accepted with great gratitude — but the numbers don't add up.

Our main concern is offering extremely high-grade live culture to everyone regardless of their economic situations, which is why the Poetry Jam club has always been free of charge for its audience members. We want to keep it that way, but without saviors like you our hand may be forced. We are also adamant in wanting to pay fees to all the performers, producers, hosts, DJs, photographers, and graphic designers who work tirelessly to make the Poetry Jam what it is today.

What now?

The Poetry Jam club series is under threat of being cancelled in spring, 2016 due to lack of funding. Applications have been sent for additional funds but none has as yet been received. The club is run by volunteers.

Now, with your help, we aim to save this cult classic poetry club and the pride of Kallio's Cafe Mascot. Every euro cent of the money donated to this campaign will be used to fund domestic and international poetry, rap, spoken word, open mic and everything else that the Poetry Jam club entails. In the spirit of transparency, any patron will be granted access to a report on the use of the funds gathered.

How can I help?

GO HERE:
https://mesenaatti.me/tue-lavarunoutta/
https://mesenaatti.me/tue-lavarunoutta/
https://mesenaatti.me/tue-lavarunoutta/

Choose one of the five different sums to donate and click "FUND". If we are unable to raise the minumum goal by the end of the campaign your money reverts straight back to you. Transaction fees come to 0.90 euros per donation.

BECOME A POETRY SAVIOR TODAY <3

MINI DÄGÄ
20 €
Membership in the Helsinki Poetry Connection for 2016 (value 10 €), the Lava-antologia book detailing the HPC's live poetry scene (Poesia 2013, value 30 €, includes poems and an essay in English, pick-up from our events), a certificate for supporting Finland's live poetry culture.

BIG HOJO
60 €
All the same rewards as in Pikku-Hojo, plus a unique Helsinki Poetry Connection canvas tote bag.

GRAND DÄGÄ
100 €
Membership 2016, anthology, certificate, HPC canvas bag, plus a poem/rap song/spoken word text written and performed by a member of the collective!

MEGA DÄGÄ
200 €
Book a poet, rapper, or spoken word artist to perform at your event in the Capital Region.

SUPER HOJO
500 €
Book two highly skilled poetry instructors to come hold a performance/writing workshop in a place of your choosing in the Capital Region.

WHEN NEITHER DÄGÄ NOR HOJO CAN SUFFICE
1,000 €
You get the logo and name of your company or association in all of the Helsinki Poetry Connection's posters and event descriptions for the whole of 2016. The Poetry Jam club is held six times a year and each night is marketed with unique poster art. Each Poetry Jam night draws crowds of some 300 people. The Kiiski Open Mic event is monthly and is also advertized with posters that are then left on the walls of the venue for years as decorations.

Your logo and name will also be used wherever we announce our events or communicate with our members; meaning our blog, website-to-be, Twitter, and Facebook.

You'll get this in addition to booking one of our talented performers for your event in the Capital Region, as well as the Lava-antologia book!