What to Know
- What started in 1973 as a literary salon in founder Miguel Algarín’s East Village living room has grown into an iconic cultural institution that continues to offer a platform for underrepresented artists to showcase their work and hone their craft.
- The Café, as its name suggests, holds strong ties to the thriving Nuyorican culture, from the Puerto Rican community in New York, and is one of the key institutions for the artistic and literary Nuyorican Movement.
- This Oct. 31, the Nuyorican Poets Café will be celebrating its 50th anniversary. The following day, on Nov. 1, the Café will close its doors for three years to undergo its “Nuyoricanstruction”—though it will continue its work through pop-ups and collaborations with other organizations.
What started in 1973 as a literary salon in founder Miguel Algarín’s East Village living room has grown into an iconic cultural institution that continues to offer a platform for underrepresented artists to showcase their work and hone their craft.
Everyone, regardless of level of expertise, is welcome to express themselves and share their stories on the Nuyorican Poets Café’s stage. The space is intimate, with various paintings, newspaper clippings, and photographs decorating the brick walls and giving evidence of the rich history that permeates the place.
“Poetry wouldn’t really be what it is if it wasn’t for this place, and I’m honored,” Puerto Rican poet Liza “Lovechild” who came to perform all the way from Miami told NBC New York.
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The Café, as its name suggests, holds strong ties to the thriving Nuyorican culture, from the Puerto Rican community in New York, and is one of the key institutions for the artistic and literary Nuyorican Movement.
Beyond its Puerto Rican roots, the cafe is committed to uplifting different voices from all over New York. It hosts weekly Latin jazz, slam poetry, theatrical performances, and vocal open mic events, among others, having gained worldwide recognition for its slam poetry emphasis.
“It’s a celebration every day," said Emmy-winning director Caridad “La Bruja” De La Luz, who started her career in 1996 as an open mic performer at the cafe.
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This Oct. 31, the Nuyorican Poets Café will be celebrating its 50th anniversary. Through the passing of the years, the space has retained its essence by bringing the community together through the power of spoken word, poetry, music, theater, visual arts, and activism.
The following day, on Nov. 1, the Café will close its doors for three years to undergo its “Nuyoricanstruction”—though it will continue its work through pop-ups and collaborations with other organizations. The $24 million renovation will turn the Nuyorican Café into a modern, multi-level facility that will continue to embrace the new generations of groundbreaking artists.
