Join us for the second installment of our new live storytelling series, ICP PhotoSLAM! During this fast-paced, open mic event, photographers, the ICP community, and audience members are invited to participate in a live story telling competition driven by photographs.

Come to for the chance to join as a visual storyteller or to enjoy the stories as part of the audience judging panel! Our returning host for ICP PhotoSLAM is Idris Talib Solomon.

For those who would like to share their images and story, registering in advance is strongly recommended. Register here.

The winner will receive:

  • $50 in prize money
  • A year-long individual membership to ICP which includes free access to the museum ($75 value)
  • An ICP Swag Bag

The theme for the second ICP PhotoSLAM is Travel & Traditions

How it Works

6:00 - 6:30 PM, Library

  • If you want to tell your story based on the theme, Travels and Traditions, register in advance or arrive between 6:00–6:30 PM on the day of event to submit your name and images in person.
  • Registering in advance is strongly recommended. Register as a participant to reserve a spot for the chance to share your images and tell your story with ICP's audience here.
  • Participants can also arrive between the submission time to enter your name for a chance to take the stage that evening. Come prepared to digitally share the images you will use in your story, if selected. ICP recommends preparing 10-15 images on a USB drive and/or on a file-sharing digital link.

6:45 PM, Library

  • Up to six names will be blindly selected. If selected, each photographer must have their images ready to share via a digital link or USB drive immediately. Failure to produce your images will result in loss of your time-slot.

7:00 PM, Library

  • The competition begins! Each selected storyteller will take the stage for exactly 5 minutes.
  • After each performance the audience will vote in teams. At the end of the evening, a new PhotoSLAM winner will be crowned!

 

Community Guidelines

ICP does not control the content or know what stories will be shared on stage ahead of the event.

All participants will be asked to sign a community agreement prior to taking the stage. If in violation of our community guidelines, performers will be stopped and disqualified.

Viewer discretion is advised.

 

Tips for Photo Storytellers

  • The theme for each PhotoSLAM is open to interpretation of the participants but your photography series and story should relate to the theme or themes. We recommend letting the images drive the story and practicing your 5-minute story ahead of the PhotoSLAM.
  • There will be a short amount of time to digitally transfer images to the program laptop. For upload time purposes, we suggest preparing 8-15 images to use with your story.
  • Please have a link you can share via email or bring your images on an USB- jumpdrive or an external drive.
  • Images will be uploaded to ICP’s computer and will be projected behind the storyteller during their 5-minute slot.
  • The photographs will be projected during the stories and a clicker will be given to the storyteller to advance each image. We cannot guarantee the ability to set images to change automatically.

 

About the Host

Idris Talib Solomon focuses on stories that are overlooked and lack proper representation within the African American community. He photographs dancers and gymnasts in Harlem, funeral homes in East New York, muralists in Bushwick, Black cowboys in Houston, athletes and eco challenges in Fiji, 80mph racing drones in France, unit stills for television and movies. He photographs his wife and son. He is the Creative Director and host of The Black Shutter Podcast.

Special thanks to MPB for the generous public programs support. MPB transforms the way that people buy, sell and trade in photo and video kit.

Image: Chim (David Seymour), [Ingrid Bergman on the train to Cannes, Italy], 1956. Ben Shneiderman Collection, courtesy Howard Greenberg (BS1861)