Union Santa Fe keeps open mic culture alive at Concordia

Weekly open mic invites students and locals to share music, poetry and prose

Fringe ArtsRyan Pyke — Published February 26, 2025 0 minutes

Union Santa Fe, the open mic that runs every Wednesday at 7:30 p.m., welcomes anyone―students or not―to share their music, poetry and prose. The open mic’s name comes from the Spanish word for “holy faith.” 

Concordia students Matty Fudge, a second-year psychology major, and David Morales, a second-year studio arts major, started the event in Fall 2024. They wanted a way to share and express their creativity.

“It really started with the two of us wanting to externalize our art, but not having a good place to do that,” Fudge said.

At the start of the show, Fudge lays out three rules: everyone must show appreciation—whether by snapping, clapping or even booing; all presenters must introduce themselves; and no fascists are allowed. 

With an audience of usually fewer than a dozen people, the atmosphere is intimate. The small crowd encourages vulnerability, making it appealing for first-time performers.

“Most of the people that are performing—it’s the first place they’ve ever performed—and they wouldn’t perform if it was in front of more people,” Fudge said.

Fudge and Morales didn’t want to monetize their performances, so they created a free space for artists like them to come and share. 

Noa Munro, a third-year psychology student, first showed up at Union Santa Fe in October. Since then, they’ve come at least four times.

On an evening in February, Munro presented journal entries they had written. Though not intentionally poetic, they acknowledged that much of their work carries a similar quality.

“I write it for myself,” Munro said. “I process emotions when I write down my ideas and my reflections on life and the things I go through.”

For Munro, the open mic gives them the opportunity to share themselves. 

Morales performs often as well, as the hosts’ main job is to fill up any empty space.

Speaking is the defining aspect of spoken word poetry, according to Morales. When writing poetry, he focuses on how the words sound when spoken aloud. He repeats words and uses similar sounds to create flow.

Every week, Morales creates a new piece. Often, it reflects how he feels at the time. Primarily a painter rather than a writer, he sees Union Santa Fe as an alternative for self-expression.

“I can make something, and it can be bad, and I can still share it and get praise for it,” Morales said.

For Munro, the open mic gives them the opportunity to share themselves. 

“I think this night is extremely unique because it just feels like a bunch of friends getting together,” Munro said. “Even when there's people that I've never met before, I'm comfortable going up and sharing the deep parts of my unconscious.”