New Jersey Stage logo
New Jersey Stage Menu



 

Badabing! The New Jersey Poetry Renaissance is Here

originally published: 09/11/2022


All across New Jersey, poetry readings are happening everywhere from coffee shops, bars, record stores, CBD lounges, and parks. Damian Rucci, Chris Rockwell, Cord Moreski, Ras Heru, Don Krypton & others are hosting numerous packed poetry events. Centered in Monmouth County, these poetry shows are occuring from Newark all the way down to Tuckerton. These aren’t the poetry readings of yesterday, they are entertaining, brash, and profoundly young and working class.

“We just wanted to do it differently. Take it from the classrooms and bookstores to the people who don’t know that they need it. Poetry is for the beggar and the king. We wanted to bring poetry to the heart of the working people,” Damian Rucci said.

Every night of the week you can find at least one poetry event happening, usually two to three. All are welcome and the poetry events are free usually with an open mic portion of the night where anyone can sign up to share their work. It's a working class poetry movement emerging throughout the Garden State.

Executive producer of NJ PBS’s Here's the Story and Driving Jersey Steve Rogers has been following the NJ Poetry Renaissance for the upcoming program Voices in the Garden which is due to air this fall. 




New Jersey Stage provides affordable advertising for the arts, click here for info




 

EVENT PREVIEWS

Cape

Cape May Poet Laureate Sylvia Baer hosts writing workshops on poetry, fiction, memoir and children's literature this July

(CAPE MAY, NJ) -- Cape May MAC (Museums+Arts+Culture) once again presents Cape May Poet Laureate Sylvia Baer in a new series of writing workshops this summer open to writers of all levels. Sylvia brings her engaging teaching style and deep literary knowledge to this series that will explore four different genres of writing: poetry, fiction, memoir and children's literature.



FEATURED EVENTS

ART | COMEDY | DANCE | FILM | MUSIC | THEATRE | COMMUNITY

To narrow results by date range, categories,
or region of New Jersey
click here for our advanced search.


Summer

Summer Brew Fest 2025

Friday, July 25, 2025 @ 6:00pm
Carteret Performing Arts Center
46 Washington Ave, Carteret, NJ 07008
category: community


 

Miss

Miss Republica Dominicana of NJ US - Gala Final

Saturday, July 26, 2025 @ 6:00pm
New Brunswick Performing Arts Center (NBPAC)
11 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ 08901
category: community


 

Tyler

Tyler Henry – The Hollywood Medium: An Evening of Hope and Healing

Wednesday, July 30, 2025 @ 7:00pm
Bergen Performing Arts Center (bergenPAC)
30 North Van Brunt Street, Englewood, NJ 07631
category: community


 

WWE

WWE Late Night Featuring Tony Hinchcliffe

Saturday, August 02, 2025 @ 10:30pm
Bergen Performing Arts Center (bergenPAC)
30 North Van Brunt Street, Englewood, NJ 07631
category: community


 



Advertise with NJ Stage for $50-$100 per month, click here for info