Savon Bartley is a Black American poet and playwright from North Chicago, Illinois. Rooted in the tradition of the blues, he writes to document the scope and sweep of Black life in America and to remind us that we are more alike than we are different.
Savon’s writing has appeared in The New York Times, Slate Magazine, Afropunk, Great Weather for Media, and The Odyssey. His poems are featured in The Careless Embrace of the Boneshaker Anthology, his poetry collection Liquid Sunset, and his most recent book Uncut Blues. A former competitive slam poet, Savon placed third in the world at Brave New Voices (2013) and has spent the last decade touring as an artist, educator, and writer. He has performed everywhere from The Apollo Theater to the United Nations General Assembly, sharing stages with artists such as The Wu-Tang Clan, Russell Simmons, JID, and Common.
Savon’s work lives beyond the page and stage. He uses poetry as a tool for organizing, healing, and education, partnering with organizations such as The Black Panther Party, The George Floyd Foundation, The Sierra Club, and The United Nations. Through workshops, keynotes, and commissioned work, he inspires action around racial justice, drug reform, climate change, and mental health.
Savon is an alumnus of The Public Theater’s #BARS Lab and the Devised Theater Working Group in New York. His debut play, Holes in the Shape of My Father premiered Off-Broadway at The Public Theater’s 2023 Under the Radar Festival. His theatrical work has been featured in Broadway World, New Amsterdam, and Playbill and continues to investigate the intersections of language, memory, and Black masculinity.
