This April, the City of San Antonio’s Department of Arts & Culture and San Antonio Poet Laureate Andrea “Vocab” Sanderson invite the entire community to participate in National Poetry Month.
For 26 years, the Academy of American Poets has celebrated National Poetry Month each April to remind the public that poets have an integral role to play in our culture and that poetry matters. The City of San Antonio joined the National Poetry Month celebration, the largest literacy celebration in the world, in 2009 to increase public awareness about the importance of poetry. Many talented poets call San Antonio home, and poetry has an essential place in the culture of San Antonio. More than 30 events are scheduled for this year’s celebration, including readings, workshops, performances, and discussion.
“Poetry is a powerful artistry that convey ideas and emotions in a beautiful and versatile way,” said Department of Arts & Culture Interim Executive Director Krystal Jones. “This form of writing helps us understand, appreciate, and document the human experience. We invite San Antonians to learn more about poetry, celebrate the San Antonio artists that create it, and hopefully be inspired to write their own poetry.”
This year’s National Poetry Month offers diverse events for families, friends, and veterans to join in on the nationwide celebration. The official kickoff event to National Poetry Month, “VIVA Poesía: Palabras, Música, y Cultura” presented by the City of San Antonio’s World Heritage Office, will be held in-person on March 26 at 6 p.m. at the historic Mission Marquee Plaza. A sample of other events include:
· 4/1 – 4/30: Ekphrastic Celebrations by Gemini Ink Literary Arts Center and Bihl Haus Arts
· 4/2: Celebrate with the Jazz Poets of San Antonio by City of San Antonio Public Library at Bazan Branch Library
· 4:2: MOSAIC Youth Writing Workshop by Gemini Ink Literary Arts Center at Blue Star Contemporary Art Museum
· 4/4 – 4/25: Storytime with Grandma Coyote by American Indians in Texas at the Spanish Colonial Missions hosted online
· 4/4 – 4/30: MEGA CORAZON 2022 Brings San Antonio Spoken Word at the URBAN-15 Studios
· 4/10: The Poetry of Art / Ekphrastic Celebrations at Briscoe Western Art Museum
· 4/13: Maverick Poets: Visual Art & the Spoken Word at Palmetto Center for the Arts at Northwest Vista College
· 4/23: Celebrate National Haiku Day at the San Antonio Botanical Garden
· 4/23: Voces Cosmicas celebrates National Poetry Month at Collins Garden Library
· 4/30: Voices, Vibes & Visions: ArtistsCIRCLE by Celebration Circle at Living Church at Woodlawn Pointe
During the month of April, San Antonio’s fifth Poet Laureate Andrea ”Vocab” Sanderson will be featured in a number of events. The Poet Laureate promotes poetry and the literary arts in San Antonio and is tasked with developing innovative and inspiring public events and programs in conjunction with local organizations and the Department of Arts & Culture.
“Being a Poet Laureate to me means I am here to serve the community by uplifting them with positivity in poetry and prose,” said San Antonio Poet Laureate Andrea ‘Vocab’ Sanderson. “I am here to help others explore and celebrate the endless possibilities that exist within the ink they spill on the page and the words they share on the stage.”
For more information about National Poetry Month San Antonio, including ways to celebrate and a full list of events, visit www.SanANtonio.gov/Arts, follow @GetCreativeSA and #NPMSA2022.
