SpokenWord Paris

Anton Bonnici is a teacher, playwright and dramaturg based in Paris, France. He is the founder of the Writing for the Stage workshops and the Not Theatre thought and practice. He has produced and directed performances in Paris, London and Moscow and his plays Yet So As By Fire, Quasar Love, Pornotopia, Corpus Dei,  and When the Phone Rang (co-written with Youssef Alaoui) have all been published by The Opiate Books.  For more information or to get in touch visit www.writingforthestage.com.      

”This week at The Dissident Salon, we welcome David Barnes, founder of Spoken Word Paris, writer, poet, and one of the steady forces behind two decades of literary community in this city.

Since 2003, David has been reading his poems in Paris bars, shaping work that bites, aches, laughs, and lingers. His collection Poets Are Liars Who Tell The Truth (corrupt press) gathers the strongest pieces from those years, poems tested in real rooms with real audiences. If you have ever passed through Spoken Word Paris, you have felt the world he helped build.

Now he brings that history and that craft to our stage.
Come listen. Then step forward yourself.”

📅 January 6, 2026
🕗 Sign‑ups at 8:00 PM
🎭 Three 45‑minute sessions at 9:00 PM, 10:00 PM, 11:00 PM
📍 The DISSIDENT Club, 58 rue Richer, 75009
🌐 thedissidentclub.org

🎤 OPEN MIC AFTER THE FEATURE
English, French, and all languages welcome.
Multilingual expressio

Matt Mauch is the author of five books of prose and poetry, including the hybrid memoir A Northern Spring, We’re the Flownover. We Come From Flyoverland., Bird~Brain, If You’re Lucky Is a Theory of Mine, as well as the chapbook The Brilliance of the Sparrow. He founded the Great Twin Cities Poetry Read and the journal Poetry City, and has organized and hosted many other poetry readings and events. A recipient of a Minnesota State Arts Board grant, Mauch’s work has been recognized as a finalist for National Poetry Series and other national and international contest and has appeared in numerous journals, including Conduit, The Journal, DIAGRAM, Willow Springs, The Los Angeles Review, Forklift, Ohio, Sonora Review, Water~Stone Review, and on the Poetry Daily and Verse Daily websites. Mauch lives in Minneapolis and teaches in the AFA in Creative Writing program at Normandale Community College. He and his books can be found online at  http://www.mauchmauch.com/

Andrej Kapor (b. Sarajevo, 1989) is an artist, writer, and creative producer working across disciplines. As an author, Andrej’s work is driven by rebellion, sensuality and the divine, underpinned by dark humour and informed by his multicultural background. As a curator, publisher and broadcaster, he is focused on community-building and the platforming of marginalised voices as a means for affecting social and cultural change. Currently based in Utrecht, his work has been published, exhibited, and toured internationally.

Joseph Michael Torrijos is an aspiring Filipino poet and songwriter based in Paris. He has published several songs such as Your Love, which he wrote together with his partner Kit and performed by International Filipino Artist Alisah Bonaobra. He has also collaborated with Filipino artists based in the Philippines and Singapore and written the beautiful lyrics of Home At Last which was performed by Filipino artist Myko Manago. Both songs have a growing number of plays in Spotify: 140,000 and 240,000 respectively.He’s recently collaborated and worked on the verses of the song Sayaw by international Filipina artist Muri. In July 2025, he also published his first book, a poetry collection entitled: Where Love Poems Grow On Mango Trees which is available on Amazon.He continues to be inspired by the talented communities of Spoken Word Paris and the Franco-Filipino music association Pinoy Jam Paris.

Kara Schneider is a poet and human-rights researcher whose work braids together memory, womanhood and the quiet violences that shape becoming. Her writing explores the intersections of love, lineage, and the body – what it endures, what it carries, and what it refuses to forget. Kara’s poetry has been featured in Oberon and the One Page Poetry anthology, with additional work forthcoming. She is currently pursing an MSc in Human Rights & Data Science in Paris, where she writes about law by day and poems by night.  

Śivani Howe is a poet and teacher obsessed with eco-poetry, spiritual poetics, good food, and trees.  She is author of the poetry collection – THIS Is Written in the Stars, and the eco-novel Land’s Breath. She’s studying for her Masters in Poetry at Pacific Oregon University and has been featured in The Poetry Lighthouse II, and Upon Learning That anthologies in 2025, and IHRAM Press: their Enduring Voices journal (2025, Quarter 3).  She resides with her family in the Purcell Mountains of British Columbia, Canada and believes that reconnecting and coming into right relationship with Land’s spirit is the fastest way to heal the human heart.

Nica Selvaggio (she/they) is a Chicago born, Indiana made, Seattle formed poet/writer/therapist who is still trying to find their place in the story of all things. They are a non-binary and queer human who finds healing writing about the things that often go unspoken. Grief. Trauma. Spirituality. Sexuality. Addiction. Adoption. Eating disorders. Gender. Race. Power. Nica’s deepest hope in sharing their writing is to create safe spaces to explore the darkness that resides within us all, thereby igniting the light found in connectedness. Nica’s full length poetry collection, “i should give you a ladder,” is now available for purchase, and you can find more of their poetry and essays in the pages of Papeachu Press, For Women Who Roar, This is Jane Project, Wussy Magazine, and Project Heal.

Zac Graves is a multidisciplinary artist whose work bridges the worlds of spoken word, music, and storytelling. A poet, songwriter, voice-over artist, and teacher, he brings a rare versatility to the stage, drawing audiences in with performances that balance raw emotion with well honed craft.With a varied history of live appearances, Zac has performed everywhere from intimate venues such as the legendary Passim Coffee House in Cambridge to large outdoor festivals across New England. His artistry extends beyond the stage into the studio, where he has recorded as a musician, voice actor, and spoken word contributor for a wide range of creative projects.What sets Zac apart is his ability to weave narratives that feel both personal and universal. His spoken word is rooted in authenticity and emotional depth, while his music carries a lyrical and melodic power that lingers long after the final note. Audiences often remark on his compelling delivery, humble presence, and his capacity to create genuine moments of shared emotion.

Robin Bobo is a Chicago based spoken word artist, poet, and author whose voice has been featured on stages across the world. A multiNational Spoken Word Award winner and member of The Collective slam team, Robin is known for her powerful performances and commitment to building community through poetry. She is one of the founders of Padded RoOm, host of Rhythm and Breathe and Pen and Pour open mic, and the creator of the Midwest regional and national slam Wise Words: Great Lakes Griots. Robin is the author of six books, including Love Thy Selfie and Train of Thought, which showcase her signature style rooted in layered metaphors, double meanings, and the heartbeat of lived experience. Her work celebrates Black womanhood, resilience, and connection, establishing her as an unforgettable voice in contemporary spoken word. Learn more at RobinBoboArts.com.