About Us

EvoluCulture Ventures is a poetry collective based out of Newark, NJ. Founded in 2014 as Evolve NJ by poet and author Sean Battle, EvoluCulture aims to hold space for artists and art lovers to connect, form, and express community via programming and performance. Its flagship show, Evolution Dopen Mic is one of the longest running open mic shows in Newark.

An inaugural and multi-time winner of the City Of Newark Creative Catalyst Fund and North To Shore Festival Community Grants, EvoluCulture also presented events such as the You Got Veerrrsed and Let Artists Be Poetry Slams ; Speak Poet Speak Volumes 1 & 2, part of Lincoln Park Music Festival ; the Amethyst and Amber Griot Gala, a Celebration of Newark Poetry; & the Catalyst Open Mic & Mixer, an opening event for the 2024 Dodge Poetry Festival. A new branch for authors, Beyond 28 Publishing was established in 2023.

The name comes, in part from an abridged statement by Paul “Triple H” Levequse of the WWE: “In life, you either adapt, or you perish. That….Is Evolution.” As such, EvoluCulture envisions a community that goes from global to globally recognized by way of artists and art lovers committing to learn / unlearn / relearn / repeat about themselves and each other.