U‑Arts Closure Poetry Slam
The Velvet Whip
11th and Vine St.
Philadelphia
June 16, 2024
In the aftermath of the historic University of the Arts abrupt announcement of imminent closure on May 31, the Velvet Whip arts and social club invited the public to a poetry slam to protest and process the news. Few showed up besides Review Crew Deadline Poet Lindo Yes, who took to an otherwise empty stage to reflect on the abandonment of people by institutions that are simultaneously saddling students with debt. Watch that video above, which also includes interviews with two U‑Arts alum — Nox Shou and Sue Moerder — who attended but did not perform at Sunday night’s event. “It’s about this whole image Philadelphia is getting as a really non-art city,” Moerder said. “To lose art schools and creative schools is a really bad look for Philadelphia.”
