Being back at University I notice professors often assigning their own work for students to read among works by other scholars. I respect them more for keeping their own work out of it. The best open stages were the ones where the host does not play. If the host is also a performer then there are power relationships that can be disturbing, the person in charge can always punish you or do other immature things, give you a bad time slot. Where the host is not a performer it feels more legit to use the word “open” in open stage.