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Limelight Poetry

About Us

Limelight Poetry is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting world poetry, founded in 2024 in New York City by poet Wang Yin. It invites outstanding poets and artists from around the world to share their work in various forms, with the goal of showcasing poetry in underrepresented languages. Drawing on the city's rich cultural resources, Limelight Poetry connects poetry with other art forms, fostering a global exchange of poetic expression. It welcomes audiences into a vibrant and inspiring world of poetry, music, and beyond.

Our Mission 

At Limelight Poetry, we are committed to revolutionizing the world of poetry by:

  • Breaking down cultural barriers and decentralizing the poetry landscape, moving beyond the traditional dominance of English-language poetry.

  • Pioneering innovative and experimental modes of poetry presentation, redefining the multifaceted expressions of poetic art, and reestablishing poetry's significant role in global culture.

  • Fostering a vibrant international community where poets from diverse backgrounds can connect, collaborate, and showcase their work, with a particular focus on promoting poetry in lesser-known languages.

  • Nurturing emerging talent by providing substantial support to young poets and inspiring a new generation to engage with and appreciate the art of poetry.

  • Offering expert interpretation and analysis to poetry enthusiasts, bridging cultural divides and inspiring creators from varied backgrounds to produce exceptional poetic works.

Through these efforts, Limelight Poetry aims to create a more inclusive, dynamic, and globally representative poetry scene that celebrates diversity, innovation, and the universal power of poetic expression.

History

These poetry projects were curated and produced by Limelight Poetry

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Poetry Comes to the Museum 

Shanghai, 2012–present

Launched in 2012, Poetry Comes to the Museum is China’s pioneering public program that integrates poetry and visual art within museum spaces. Over the years, it has hosted nearly 100 events, featuring 90 poets from around the world.

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Shanghai branch of the International Poetry Nights in Hong Kong

Shanghai, 2024

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The trailer for Saturday Poetry was broadcast repeatedly on the big screen in Times Square

Saturday Poetry

Brooklyn Public Library, New York, 2024

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New Year's Pampas Grass Poetry Music Theater

Shenzhen, 2020

This groundbreaking performance seamlessly integrated poetry, music, visual art, and performance art. Featuring six mobile stages, it invited artists to improvise freely and push beyond traditional boundaries. The event challenged conventional notions of poetry and art, delivering a distinctive and immersive multidisciplinary experience for the audience.

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1862 Spring Poetry Music Theater

Shanghai, 2019

This event brought together 20 poets and musicians from eight countries and regions for three performances of the 1862 Spring Poetry Music Theater in Shanghai. The shows attracted nearly 2,000 attendees, with an impressive average occupancy rate of over 90%. A single performance reached nearly 100,000 viewers through online streaming.

Core Team

Adonis

Forrest
Gander

John
Tsung

Xiao

Yu

Jeffrey

Yang

Fangming

Shi

Robert

Currie

Wang

Yin

Jiaoyang

li

Shen

Wei

Bin
Ju

Du
Yun

Yueyue
Wenren

Board of Advisor

Board member

Work Team

Patricio Ferrari - Host & Academic Advisor

Shangyang Fang - Host & Academic Advisor

Leonard Schwartz - Host & Academic Advisor

Matt Turner - Translation Consultant and Editor

Cleo Li-Schwartz - Translation Consultant and Editor

Qingqing Cai - Translation Consultant and Editor

Cléo Charpantier - Newsletter Editor

Qixin Zhang - Visual Concept Designer

Ruoyun Chen - Photographer & Documentarian

Peng Yu - Photographer

Yuling Zhang - Designer

Previous Collaborators

Aleš Šteger

Shuntarō Tanikawa

Jan Erik Vold

Colm Tóibín

Simon Armitage

Bei Dao

Terrance Hayes

Harry Clifton

Gérard Macé

Zhai Yongming

Ron Winkler

Mutsuo Takahashi

Gerður Kristný

Tomasz Różycki

Jeffrey Yang

Adam Foulds

Athena Farrokhzad

Forrest Gander

Yvon Le Men

Lucy Dougan

Magnus William-Olsson

Yolanda Castano

Eliot Weinberger

Adonis

Alexander Gumz

Victoria Chang

Juan Arabia

Tim Lilburn

Nikola Madžirov

Jenny Xie

Pierre Joris

Aku Wuwu

Patricio Ferrari

Francesca Cricelli

Maxim Amelin

Víctor Rodríguez Núñez

Fredrik Stenhjem Hagen

Fernando Pinto do Amaral

Daniel Calabrese

Koike Masayo

Volunteering

Newsletter

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