A broadside is a large single-sided printed sheet of paper or vellum. James Sullivan defines poetry broadsides in his book On the Walls and in the Streets: American Poetry Broadsides from the 1960s this way:
[broadside printing] took poetry out from between closed covers resting on shelves, out of the armchair under the reading lamp, out from those quiet moments of private contemplation that have become the canonical setting for poetry, and into public places. Handed out at meetings, rallies, and street corners, posted on walls and bulletin boards, even framed to be hung in a living room or gallery or carried around all day folded in a wallet, a poem became a material sign to be touched and seen, engaging the senses rather than, as is conventional, passing transparently through them on the literary intellect.
A collage of broadsides from the collection
Collection Overview
This ongoing collection consists primarily of signed and numbered large-format illustrated broadsides featuring the works of contemporary American poets, and the artwork of small press printers. Most of the works are limited editions (numbered or lettered), signed by the author, and/or illustrator/printer. Several are on handmade paper.