Arts News
Poetry Potluck with Brendan Steamer
This Poetry Potluck event, celebrating National Poetry Month, is on April 25 at 6:30 PM at the Campbell Library at 422 4th Street NW, East Grand Forks.
The event will open with a Poetry Potluck — an opportunity for anyone in attendance to share a poem that they love and say a bit about what it means to them. Participation is not mandatory and individuals with no knowledge of poetry are encouraged to attend and listen.
Local poet Brendan Sterner of East Grand Forks will be reading his poetry. Stermer is the author of “Forgotten Frequencies,” winner of the 2023 Poetry of the Plains and Prairie’s Award and published by North Dakota State University Press in December. He is also the host of Interesting People Reading Poetry — a podcast where well-known artists and cultural luminaries read a favorite poem and share what it means to them.
Sterner’s reading will include information on local literary history and the influence of Midwestern writers on different aspects of the collection.
This event is made possible in part by a grant provided by the Northwest Minnesota Arts Council through funding from the McKnight Foundation.
Poetry Submissions for the Northwoods Art & Book Festival Aug 12 in Hackensack
The public is invited to attend the upcoming Northwoods Art & Book Festival, taking place on Saturday, August 12, 2023, in Hackensack. The 2nd annual Poetry Safari is a part of this event — this year's theme is "Celebrating animals and the environments where they live and thrive."
Poems that resonate with elementary and middle school-aged children are especially encouraged. Feel free to submit up to two poems, keeping in mind that they should be easily reproduced on 8.5" x 11" paper.
Here's how it works: Eleven creatively decorated Poetry Safari stands will be hidden throughout the festival. Participants, both young and old, will check in at Safari Headquarters to receive a pencil, Poetry Safari button, and poem tracker. Armed with these tools, they'll embark on a quest to find the hidden poems and experience the joy of poetry firsthand.Submit your poetic masterpieces to kokoropoets@gmail.com by July 1, 2023. All submissions will be reviewed. Eleven poems will be selected that capture the spirit of the Poetry Safari. Chosen poets will be notified by July 21, 2023.For further information or any queries about the Poetry Safari, contact the Poetry Safari Headquarters at (218) 270-5648 or email kokoropoets@gmail.com.