Inspired by the “Play Me, I’m Yours” piano project, which installed pianos in cities around the world, The Typewriter Project has installed typewriter stations at various locations around New York City. One booth is currently open to the public in Tompkins Square Park.

“The Typewriter Project is a series of site-specific literary installations which invite passersby to join in a citywide linguistic exchange that exists in both the analog and digital realms. These typewriter booths are each outfitted with a vintage typewriter, 100-foot long paper scroll, and a custom-built USB Typewriter kit, which allows every keystroke to be collected, stored, and posted online for users to read, share, and comment upon.”

In keeping with the surrealist game Exquisite Corpse, each author is asked to pick up where the previous person left off, contributing to communal text scroll. “By creating a new and unique form of public dialogue, this project hopes to capture something of the sound, narrative, and nuance of specific corners of the city. The Typewriter Project’s mission is to investigate, document, and preserve the poetic subconscious of the city while providing a fun and interactive means for the public to engage with the written word.”

In the summer of 2014, the Typewriter Project was installed on Governors Island and during winter of 2015, the booth was found in Chelsea. The third installation in the East Village will end on July 19th but hopefully, will not be the last. Hours of operation are Monday-Friday, 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. and Saturday & Sunday from noon to 8:00 p.m. The Typewriter Project is a program of The Poetry Society of New York. For more information: http://subconsciousofthecity.com/