Poetry at the Arts Collinwood Cafe
Writers Catherine Donnelly, Lee Chilcote, and Toni Thayer converse after a well attended reading at the Sunday Roast held on March 27th. Photo by David Hansen.
What a wonderful place for poetry, I thought, when I began working at the Café at Arts Collinwood just about a year ago. When the Sunday Roast reading series first began, it was simply a chance to host one of my favorite poets, Zachary Schomburg, who was on an American tour to promote his new book. I was thrilled to not only meet him, but also give him a venue. Since then, each month has been a surprise, and just when I think I’m out of readers, I stumble upon someone interesting or they stumble upon me. In April, the reading series will celebrate its one-year anniversary.
Sunday Roast isn’t the only reading series that makes Arts Collinwood its home. She Speaks, which also began last April at Visible Voice Books, soon outgrew their space there and decided to head east. According to their website (shespeaksup.org), “She Speaks works to cultivate a safe environment so that women can gain personal confidence and strength through written and spoken wordâ€. They offer a women’s writing workshop, an open mic, and a performance by a local female slam poet every fourth Saturday of the month (fifth Saturday in April due to Easter). With great performers and a lively audience, it’s a great night out, for both you and your boyfriend.
With only a few of these events around the city, Arts Collinwood is bringing the best of the best right to your neighborhood. Be sure to check out the next Sunday Roast on April 17th with a writer/performer published by the local press, Artless Dodges. And if that leaves you wanting more poetry, no worries, She Speaks will bring another great evening of poetry on April 30th. Be sure to check the website, artscollinwood.org or the Facebook page for more information.