can we change IWPS to Individual North American Poetry Slam championship?

[BigPoppaE]

there was a running joke at IWPS that the Canadian poets represented not only their lovely country, but, in fact, the entire world. granted, there was one guy from Australia. However, calling this event the Individual WORLD Poetry Slam seems not only inaccurate but, really, more than a bit arrogant.

what do y'all think about a name change to reflect the true make-up of the poets represented?

Individual North American Poetry Slam?

INAPS?

just thinking out loud... what do you guys think? pros and cons?

big poppa e

[jesster]

I actually like this. I kept saying "INDIVIDUAL WORLD POETRY SLAM.... of North America"

I actually like INAPS

-Jesse

[Scott Woods]

iWPS has not always had only competitors from North America.  One year something like seven countries were represented.  So if this is a legitimate ask, it's ignorant of iWPS history. 

How about a stronger effort to learn about and entice poets from other countries? 

[jesster]

iWPS has not always had only competitors from North America.  One year something like seven countries were represented.  So if this is a legitimate ask, it's ignorant of iWPS history. 

How about a stronger effort to learn about and entice poets from other countries? 

Wait... so what is the European championship that just happened? And what event does the iWPS champ go to in Paris?

I wonder if we'd do a better service to the world community by limiting it to North America. Or, as Scott said, find ways to attract a larger number of countries to participate.

I definitely will cop to ignorance of the diversity of past participants in relation to countries of origin. Maybe we'd be better focused if we addressed one region and let it bubble up? Just trying to engage some discussion.

-Jesse

[Duncan Shields]

INAPS sounds like I-SLEEPS which is I think is not optimal.  : )  But I hear what you're saying.  Signed, a Canadian. 

[Scott Woods]

I wonder if we'd do a better service to the world community by limiting it to North America. Or, as Scott said, find ways to attract a larger number of countries to participate.

I definitely will cop to ignorance of the diversity of past participants in relation to countries of origin. Maybe we'd be better focused if we addressed one region and let it bubble up? Just trying to engage some discussion.

I think it would be a far better thing to live up to the intent of the event by putting in some extra effort abroad.  Marc Smith is always spending time abroad at slams, in Europe especially.  Pilot in Paris knows people who slam abroad.  He even invites them to his big slam in France (each year, I think).  Like I said, I believe it was the LAST time we were in Charlotte when we had something like 7 countries represented, so it's not been that long ago.  Ireland was one of them.  France, of course.  A few others.  Plenty of U.S. poets end up abroad for gigs.  Is the case being made through them?  Probably not.  Should it be?  Probably so.

So really, it just takes a person who really cares about this issue asking how to fix the problem, getting these kind of leads, and pursuing them.  If Eirik or anyone else thinks this is genuinely important, it can be fixed in a month of emails and gathering contacts.  I would imagine the EC can be sold on saving a few slots for world champs from competitions abroad to see what happens.  They already get preferential treatment based on distance, so we have a rule in place designed for their access into the tournament.

You guys know there is a forum for international slams, right?  I mean, it died, but it did exist ad as far as I know you can still see it on the list of forums here.  There is stuff to learn from in it.

If we're just talking then there's your short answer: no, we cannot change iWPS to the INAPS. 
(Or rather, we could, but then the next year you'd have to change it back when one of Pilot's band of merry poets showed up.)

[amcehn]

We've had poets in the past attend the European tournament. We also have poets from Asia and Africa in the works, trying to attend iWPS next year. I think to limit them the opportunity to do so would really hurt what we're trying to do here.

[jesster]

We've had poets in the past attend the European tournament. We also have poets from Asia and Africa in the works, trying to attend iWPS next year. I think to limit them the opportunity to do so would really hurt what we're trying to do here.

Good point. Given what you said about the other tournaments, we wouldn't want to limit it in any way.

So this really is an issue of outreach. Might be interesting to see if we could get a comprehensive list of international slam masters and see if they'd be willing to certify with PSi so they could field representatives.

Would we accept bids from Pilot to hold iWPS in Paris?

-Jesse

[Detroitphoenix]

I don't see why we wouldn't.  We reviewed a bid from Toronto.

[Scott Woods]

Would we accept bids from Pilot to hold iWPS in Paris?

-Jesse

We made it clear from the start we'd take a bid from anywhere in the world.  Of course, some poets - all Americans - thought that was a bad idea because, you know, they wouldn't be able to go, but yes, Paris has come up specifically.

[Duncan Shields]

This is cracking me up.

Jess wrote:
Would we accept bids from Pilot to hold iWPS in Paris?

DetroitPhoenix responded:
I don't see why we wouldn't.  We reviewed a bid from Toronto.

I know what you mean but equating Toronto with Paris in terms of 'being international' is funny to me from over here in the faaaaar off land of Canadia.  Just amusing.  No offense.

[Steve]

Duncan, add this. We did iWPS in the far off land of Vancouver one year. Remember? Of course the event can go anywhere if it is an international event. Many times we have had poets from all kinds of places. The market is why it was US and Canada this year. In the past US, Canada, France, Japan, Australia, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland. And we have had interest from Two African nations and Mexico as well. History of Slam usually involves more than just since your consciousness arrived. I don't intend that to sound as mean as it does. But it supposed to be a pointed comment.

[jesster]

Duncan, add this. We did iWPS in the far off land of Vancouver one year. Remember? Of course the event can go anywhere if it is an international event. Many times we have had poets from all kinds of places. The market is why it was US and Canada this year. In the past US, Canada, France, Japan, Australia, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland. And we have had interest from Two African nations and Mexico as well. History of Slam usually involves more than just since your consciousness arrived. I don't intend that to sound as mean as it does. But it supposed to be a pointed comment.

Duncan's point is that Toronto is still North America, so to say that Paris should be no problem since Toronto was considered amused him.

I'd really love an excuse to go abroad for this event. I'm kind of excited by this idea.

-Jesse

[amcehn]

To answer the comment about getting the foreign Slams to be a part of PSi, we are, they are. We have those countries actively working on becoming Certified Venues of PSi.

[Duncan Shields]

Sorry Steve.  Of course I remember when IWPS was held here.  It was one of the most creatively thrilling and defining weeks of my life.  I was just joining in with some levity but perhaps it's not my place to do so.  I know IWPS is international.  I wasn't trying to imply otherwise.  My apologies.