PORTLAND – On Tuesday, May 20th, Trans Poetics Archive celebrates a double launch party at SPACE to celebrate trans lives and narratives through poetry. The festival opens with the book launch of Maine’s first trans poetry anthology, Monster Beauties, which was published through a USM Graduate Research Opportunity Scholarship. Trans Poetics Archive also received a Maine Humanities Council major grant to curate Transcendence which runs from May 20th-May 24th.
Transcendence will launch a book giveaway, generative and vocal workshops, multimedia artist collaborations, a Poets & Scholars panel, readings, a poetry slam and a Poets Brunch. Featured trans speakers and poets include Maya Williams, Jude Marx, Ian-Khara Ellasante, Claudia Wilson, Yaffa AS, Rylan Hynes, Lauren Saxon, Calla Eris Orion, Leigh Ellis, Sampson Spadafore, Lonny Saleeby, and Vincent Herrington, among others. The launch event also includes harpist, Tristen Evah Hellewell, dance and live artmaking with Brazen Bandits. A full festival schedule will be released in the next week on our website.
Transcendence is supported by the generosity of community members and organizations, including, Amber Rose Photography, Maine Writers & Publishers Alliance, Rebel Hill Farm, Smalls, Wildflours Bakery, Townsend Real Estate, and several others. The launch is catered by Montes, Honeycomb Café, Bread & Friends, Nishmati Creations, Midcoast Vegan, and Goodfire Brewing.
Additionally, Flatbread is hosting a fundraiser for Trans Poetics Archive on Tuesday, May 6th. There will be door prizes and a 50/50 raffle. Door prizes include tickets to the theater, books, t-shirts, and more.
Tickets for the launch party are sliding scale with limited free community tickets available at: https://space538.org/event/monster-beauties-2025/
