The Free & Natural Poetry Faire is a gala of poetry, art, and arcana taking place in Los Angeles on November 20th and 21st, 2015. It is our belief that poetry itself is by its nature transdisciplinary, and, to that end, the Faire will create a collaborative and unrestrained space where poetry will coexist for two days with many other art and knowledge forms. The Faire will be held at the gallery Commonwealth & Council in LA’s Koreatown (3006 W 7th St. #220), and will be followed by an after party at a to-be-announced location on Saturday the 21st. True to its name, the Free & Natural Poetry Faire is free and open to the public. This will be the first of a series of Free & Natural Poetry events.
Schedule
12:00–5 p.m.: Faire Activities
Small-press presenters (Semiotext(e), Kaya Press, Scary Topiary Press, the Poetic Research Bureau, Song Cave); costume exhibit by Voyeur; a maker space; and many more surprises.
6:00–10 p.m.: Poetry Readings
6:30–7:30
Jane Mead
Mia Ayumi Malhotra
Morani Kornberg-Weiss
Ari Banias
7:30–8:30
Gabrielle Calvocoressi
Anthony McCann
Kirsty Singer
Cedar Sigo
8:30–9:15
Stuart Krimko
Lara Glenum
Kate Durbin
9:15
Throw Down the Sword (Killing of an Art Groupie)
A one-act play by “Tall Paul” Gellman & Friends
(feat. Ruby Neri, Torbjorn Vejvi, Nathan Moomaw Jackson, Kayla Ephros, & Cayal Unger)
12:00–5 p.m.: Faire Activities
Small-press presenters (Semiotext(e), Kaya Press, Scary Topiary Press, the Poetic Research Bureau, Song Cave, Penny-Ante Editions); costume exhibit by Voyeur; psychic readings by Asher Hartman; astrology by Stuart Krimko; metal works by Isabella Behravan.
6:00–10:30 p.m.: Poetry Readings
6:30–7:30
Mark So
Julia Clare Tillinghast
Diana Nguyen
Ben Segal
7:30–8:30
Kenji Liu
Manuel Paul López
Matthew Dickman
Jennifer S. Cheng
8:30–9:30
Melissa Broder
Micah Ballard
Aaron Kunin
Amber Rose Tamblyn
9:30–10:30
Feliz Lucia Molina
Fred Moten
Directions
Commonwealth & Council is located at 3006 W 7th St. #220, in Los Angeles’s Koreatown. The nearest major cross streets are 7th St. and Vermont Ave. (The gallery is one block east of Vermont on the south side of 7th.) Parking near the gallery, especially at night, is very limited, so please plan accordingly. We encourage all Faire goers to visit via the LA subway: Commonwealth & Council is a five-minute walk from the Wilshire/Vermont stop on the Metro Red and Purple lines. (Alternately, Uber is a relatively inexpensive way to get around the city.) The gallery offers street parking only. A small valet lot operates several storefronts down from the gallery, where Faire parking will be available for $7. Tell the attendants that you are going to the art gallery.
By car from far East or West LA, take the 10 freeway to the Vermont Ave. exit; drive north on Vermont for approximately 1.5 miles; and turn right on 7th St. Look for the 2nd red “OB Bear” sign on your right—the gallery is situated directly above OB Bear, a Korean restaurant-bar. From inner East or West LA, or downtown LA, routes may be more direct along surface streets.