Program Description
Event Details
Join us at Gutter Point (outdoor stage) at Wayward Social for a special event with Iowa's own Caleb "The Negro Artist" Rainey and Kelsey Bigelow, who will share about their journeys as poets and within the spoken word/slam poetry world, as well as perform some of their work.
Poetry books will be available for purchase and to have signed by the poets, for those who choose. More info about the poets:
Caleb “The Negro Artist” Rainey is an author, performer, and event producer. He has published two books: “Look, Black Boy” and “Heart Notes”; released two albums, produced a short film with the Brucemore titled Willing to Grow, and starred in a documentary titled The Negro Artist. In 2024, he was the recipient of the Iowa Author Award for Poetry. He is the winner of several slams across the United States, placed 7th in the 2023 UNESCO Slam-0-Vision global poetry slam, and curates a community of spoken word in Iowa City through his high school program, IC Speaks. Learn more about Caleb here: thenegroartist.com
Kelsey Bigelow, based in Des Moines, spends her time working as a mental health poet. She is the author of four poetry projects, including her latest book “Far From Broken.” Her work is published with several small presses and journals. Videos of her work can be found on Button Poetry, Write About Now and Ghost Poetry Show. She’s the founder of the Des Moines Poetry Workshop, chair for the Iowa Poetry Association Poetry Slam, teaching artist in Des Moines, director for the BlackBerry Peach National Poetry Slam, and founding member of the 2025 io-what poetry slam team. Learn more about Kelsey here: kelkaybpoetry.com
This program is free, thanks to Friends of the Marshalltown Library. Thanks also to support from the Marshall County Arts Alliance and Wayward Social for hosting.