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Previous years: 2017 Schedule 2018 Schedule 2019 Schedule 2020 Schedule 2021 Schedule 2022 Schedule 2023 Schedule

January 15, 2018, 7P

A Letter From Pittsfield

WXW Celebrates MLK

Berkshire Museum, 39 South Street, Pittsfield, MA

Poets present work that reflects on, is inspired by, or otherwise connects with the legacy of Dr Martin Luther King, Jr.

February 19, 2018, 7P

10 New Voices

Berkshire Museum, 39 South Street, Pittsfield, MA

For 10x10, WXW has invited 3 dynamic young poets - Doni Smith, Grace Rossman and Sage - to curate a program of passionate, forward facing voices, to unapologetically share their truths in a fast paced, expectation-shattering spoken word event. 

February 26, 2018, 7P

Education In America

Poets Creating Conversation

Berkshire Museum, 39 South Street, Pittsfield, MA

Everybody's got something to say. Public education, home school, k-12, college, or the lessons that life has dropped on us. In this fast paced program, poets are challenged to apply their creative energy to slicing and dicing education in America. From inside the halls and walls of our institutions to the “real” world, cautionary tales and inspirational stories, told as only a poet can.

March 4, 2018, 3P

Women's Invitational Poetry Slam

Dottie's, 444 North Street, Pittsfield, MA

For the 2nd Annual WordXWord Women's Invitational Poetry Slam we've invited a field of fantastic female poets to put their work on the line. Save the date and plan on getting there early if you want a seat!

March 26, 2018, 7P

Gender In America

Poets Creating Conversation

Berkshire Museum, 39 South Street, Pittsfield, MA

Whether you're talking about identity; equity and parity; privilege or pronouns; harassment or assault; cis, trans or non - we all live in, around or beside gender. For this event, we’ve challenged poets and spoken word artists to apply their creativity to help us find our way forward.

April 20, 2018, 7P

Coffee Flavored Words

Williams Bookstore , 81 Spring Street, Williamstown

A lot of poetry has been born and raised in a coffee shop. To bring things full circle, Tunnel City Coffee and WordXWord have invited poets to share their work - caffeinated or otherwise - in the context of Tunnel City's newest shop inside the Williams Bookstore. Enjoy mocktail samples at 6:30. Readings begin at 7P.

April 21, 2018, 3P

The Climate Issue is a Human Issue

WXW @ 2018 Berkshire Earth Expo
Stationery Factory, 63 Flansburg Ave, Dalton

Poets at the intersection of climate and humanity. Special event in cooperation with the 2018 Berkshire Earth Expo / Environmental Action Fair.

April 29, 2018, 5P

30/30 Live @ The Mount

The Mount, 2 Plunkett Street, Lenox

Poets share through spoken word selected works created in response to WXW’s 30/30 Poetry Challenge of creating a poem a day for the 30 days of April. Free, but reservations required due to limited capacity.

April 30, 2018, 7P

Race In America

Poets Creating Conversation

Berkshire Museum, 39 South Street, Pittsfield, MA

For this event, the poet’s challenge is to use art to explore and share personal journeys around race and xenophobia - issues that are inexorably wrapped around the history of America and reflected in much of the current discourse. By sharing personal stories, observations, moments of inspiration, and hope, we look to create a broad poetic tapestry with a goal that the resulting “conversation” between creative voices will make us stronger.

May 5 & 6, 2018

Outspoken Youth Poetry Festival

Pittsfield, MA

Workshops, Open Mics and Poetry Slams for youth ages 12 - 22. OutspokenYouth.com

May 21, 2018, 7P

Incarceration In America

Poets Creating Conversation

Berkshire Museum, 39 South Street, Pittsfield, MA

With an "occupancy guarantee," the Corrections Corporation of America reported $1.9 billion in revenue and a net of $221 million in 2015. The United States locks up more people per capita than any other nation. Combine incarceration with probation and parole, and there are nearly 7 million persons under correctional supervision. Multiply that by friends and family, add in the effects of living in over policed communities, factor in the disproportionate over-representation of black men in this population and there’s a lot to talk about.

June 16, 2018, 7P

Get The Rust Out Poetry Slam

Berkshire Museum, 39 South Street, Pittsfield, MA

First of two qualifiers for the WXW Indie Poetry Slam Finals. 8 poets go two rounds, 3 will advance to the finals on August 4. .

June 25, 2018, 7P

Working In America

Poets Creating Conversation

Berkshire Museum, 39 South Street, Pittsfield, MA

For this event, the poet’s challenge is to use their art to explore and share personal stories centered around working in America - the challenges, triumphs and realities - from work we love, to work that doesn't love us back.

“Work is about a search for daily meaning as well as daily bread, for recognition as well as cash, for astonishment rather than torpor; in short, for a sort of life rather than a Monday through Friday sort of dying." - Studs Terkel

July 14, 2018, 7:30P

Second Chance Poetry Slam

Berkshire Museum, 39 South Street, Pittsfield, MA

Second of two qualifiers for the WXW Indie Poetry Slam Finals. 8 poets go two rounds, 3 will advance to the finals on August 4. .

July 29, 2018, 3P

Walkin’ w/ WordXWord / Performers Respond to SculptureNow

The Mount, 2 Plunkett Street, Lenox

Wear your walking shoes as poets and other performers respond to the SculptureNow exhibition on the grounds of The Mount. In partnership with Jacob’s Pillow, Lift Ev’ry Voice, and The Mount.

July 29, 2018, 3P

Walkin’ w/ WordXWord / Performers Respond to SculptureNow

The Mount, 2 Plunkett Street, Lenox

Wear your walking shoes as poets and other performers respond to the SculptureNow exhibition on the grounds of The Mount. In partnership with Jacob’s Pillow, Lift Ev’ry Voice, and The Mount.

July 30, 2018, 7P

Summer In America / Poets Creating Conversation

Berkshire Museum, 39 South Street, Pittsfield

There have been summers of love and summers of unrest. It’s summertime and it’s our 10th annual festival, so we’re asking poets to climb the 3 meter board and step off.

August 1, 2018, 6P

Poetry sCrawl

Starts at Dottie’s, 444 North Street, Pittsfield

Wear your walking shoes as poetry takes a walk Uptown with stops along the way for poetry al fresco.

August 2, 2018, 7P

Poets Crash and Bernstein

Berkshire Athenaeum, 1 Wendell Ave, Pittsfield

To celebrate Leonard Bernstein’s 100th birthday, WXW has challenged poets to not ‘crash and Bernstein’ in response to poetry used by the maestro in his American bicentennial tribute.

August 3, 2018, 6P

Head-To-Head Haiku

Dottie’s, 444 North Street, Pittsfield

Poets compete one-on-one armed with only 17 syllables.

August 4, 2018, 1:30P

Outspoken Youth Poetry Slam & Open Mic

Lichtenstein Center for the Arts, 28 Renne Ave, Pittsfield

Outspoken youth are rephrasing our world!

August 4, 2018, 7P

WordXWord Indie Poetry Slam Finals

Berkshire Museum, 39 South Street, Pittsfield

Poets throw down in this mind boggling, word tossing, eye gouging - friendly - competition.

August 5, 2018, 3P

WordXWord Invitational Team Poetry Slam

The Mount, 2 Plunkett Street, Lenox

Four nationally recognized poetry slam teams roll out their best stuff in preparation for the National Poetry Slam in Chicago.

WXW 2018 Festival Sponsors



August 26, 2018, 3P

Walkin' With WordXWord

The Mount, 2 Plunkett Street, Lenox

Wear your walking shoes as poets and other performers respond to the SculptureNow exhibition on the grounds of The Mount. In partnership with Jacob’s Pillow, Lift Ev’ry Voice, and The Mount.

September 24, 2018, 7P

Food In America

Poets Creating Conversation

Berkshire Museum, 39 South Street, Pittsfield, MA

From fast food to not enough food. Farm stands to factories. Eat this, not that. We’re asking poets to help us sort it out.

October 29, 2018, 7P

Fear In America

Poets Creating Conversation

Berkshire Museum, 39 South Street, Pittsfield, MA

Two days before Halloween we’re asking poets to talk about what REALLY scares us.

November 26, 2018, 7P

Faith In America

Poets Creating Conversation

Berkshire Museum, 39 South Street, Pittsfield, MA

Faith (noun) fāTH/ - 1) trust or confidence in someone or something; 2) belief in the doctrines of a religion. We’re asking poets to pick their poison or their cure and put a pen to it. .

December 29, 2018, 3P

Circling the Wagons

Dottie's, 444 North Street, Pittsfield, MA

WordXWord has invited poets to take a look back at 2018 through the lens of the Poets Creating Conversation series. There's been some great stuff over the course of the 8 PCC events and we want to hear it again! Plus sometimes it's just good to get together with friends and fellow passengers and celebrate.