Paris Lit Up Open Mic Nights

Paris has a long tradition of attracting expat writers to its cobblestone streets and intimate drinking spaces. Even today, there's a booming community of writers wandering the streets of the city. The organization Paris Lit Up seeks to connect these writers and keep visitors and expats informed of the many various goings-on in the Paris literary community. They've even created a weekly open mic night at the fab (and very cheap) Belleville bar Culture Rapide.

Every Thursday night from eight to late, Paris Lit Up hosts an open forum wherein anybody with some words and bravery can stand up in front of everyone and read a short work aloud. The evenings focus mainly on poetry in English, but the recitations stretch to short stories, flash fiction, novel first chapters, translations of other poets' works, and even a funny song or two in all kinds of languages. Though Paris has a few other poetry slams and open mic nights, Paris Lit Up's burgeoning scene still has the feel of an underground community and the vibe is intimate, welcoming and supportive. It's scary to stand up in front of people and expose your thoughts to the world, but this still relatively unknown group makes it feel as though you're just hanging out with friends. I'll be there this Thursday to read a bit (after a drink or two, naturally)! Come any or every Thursday and check out the writers of today and tomorrow.

Paris Lit Up Open Mic Night
FREE (and drinks cheap)
Every Thursday night, 8pm
Culture Rapide
103 Rue Julien Lacroix, 75020 Paris
Métro: M2 to Belleville