Today we’d like to introduce you to Chris Atkin. They and their team shared their story with us below:
Chris, as a key figure in the Utah Poetry Slam (formerly the Wasatch Wordsmiths), you’ve been instrumental in running the Salt City Slam for more than fifteen years. Despite the shifting venues, one thing has always remained the same: Salt City Slam, under your guidance, has strived to give a voice to all Utahns with the need to step to our microphone.
It wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been relatively smooth so far?
Chris, your journey hasn’t been smooth without its challenges. The collapse of PSI (Poetry Slam Inc.) in 2015, the nonprofit that served as the communication hub and unifying force behind the national and international spoken word poetry community, left smaller scenes stranded. But you didn’t let that stop you. Over time, smaller groups began to rebuild that larger community, Salt City and Utah Poetry among them. Unfortunately, COVID-19 put all performing arts spaces out of commission shortly after that. As a result, our community dwindled. But you didn’t give up. Since joining forces with AAMP Utah and Mark of the Beastro in December of 2023, we are again growing by leaps and bounds.
Let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Chris, your work has left an indelible mark on the local arts community. As a teacher, poet, and writer, you’ve delved into themes like masculinity, body image, identity, and loss, resonating with many. Your talent has been acknowledged with a second Pushcart prize nomination this year for your poem “If I Ever Have a Daughter,” and your work has been featured in esteemed platforms such as the Lascaux Review and Last Leaves Magazine and will be published in Rising Phoenix Press this April. Your leadership in the Utah Poetry Slam, where you’ve served on the leadership board for eight years and as the president for two, is a testament to your dedication to the poetry community.
One of my proudest moments came in 2015 when I coached the Salt City Slam team to a finals stage finish in Chicago, Illinois. I love supporting and working with other artists. I get to work with some of the legends of the local poetry community, and together, we create something unique. I also teach at American Fork High, and my work there with young poets brings me lots of joy. I’ve taken students to perform on KRCL, helped create and publish chapbooks, and even coached the AF slam team to a championship win at the state high school poetry slam finals sponsored by Utah Humanities.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting?
Surround yourself with other creatives. The best part about slam poetry is the community, which stretches beyond our little slam. The arts community in Salt Lake is hiding under every rock, in the back of coffee shops, distilleries, and local bars. It’s thriving in countless underground open mics, theater performances, and art galleries, and it breathes life into all the artists who seek it out. I’m the artist I am today because of the artists I’ve met. The ones I could’ve only ever met here.
Pricing:
- We ask for a 7-10$ donation, but payment is not required for entry.
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Image Credits
Erika Camille
