OFF THE MIC, is an organization created by a group of poets who love the art of spoken word/poetry. Our goal is to maintain the legacy of poetry, in Detroit, by creating opportunities for community engagement and artist development while reinforcing the culture of storytelling.

We have done all of these through:

ARTIST DEVELOPMENT: OTM aims to provide poets/spoken word artists with opportunities to learn from their own peers and poets who have built a successful career as a poet/and or spoken word artist. We also provide many ethically paid opportunities for poets to exercise their writing skills through call for poets used to support local community initiatives, fun writing contests, video projects and recurring signature OTM events that merge storytelling with local artists of various mediums and/or opportunities for spoken word poets to prepare for a show beyond your typical open mic feature with a live band.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: OTM has a program called "Giving Words" that gives poets a chance to use their own talents and skill sets to give back to their local communities, while also giving opportunities to implement their own programming for events.  

BUILDING/SUSTAINING COMMUNITY: Currently, OTM hosts a Labor Day cookout called "Motown Artistry Cookout" that celebrates our existing community and aims to sustain the culture. In addition, OTM hosts "Sunrise Detroit" which is an intergenerational event that supports local entrepreneurs and builds a sustainable platform for emerging musicians, poets and spoken word artists while sustaining a culture of community.

ARCHIVAL EFFORTS: OTM recognizes the importance of archiving our efforts while also giving reverence to the longstanding history of spoken word in Detroit. Our archival efforts also include panel discussions with local poets who have made a career out of their poetry.