Cultural Alliance of Western Connecticut Hosts ‘Open Mic Night’ To Compliment & Encourage Response to Visual Art Exhibit

Report by Paula Antolini
June 22, 2017 3:21PM EDT

 

Photo: Rennie McQuilkin, 2017 Poet Laureate for the State of Connecticut, Connecticut Commission on the Arts.

 

Cultural Alliance of Western Connecticut Hosts ‘Open Mic Night’ To Compliment & Encourage Response to Visual Art Exhibit

 

“The spoken word was the first technology by which man was able to let go of his environment in order to grasp it in a new way.” – Marshall McLuhan

As poets and writers breathe words, so too does Art give voice. To celebrate and complement its current @287 Gallery exhibition, “Endworks: Out of Darkness,” The Cultural Alliance of Western Connecticut is hosting an “Open Mic Night” on Friday, July 14th at 5:30pm at 287 Main Street, Danbury. The event is designed to engage, move the conversation forward, and increase awareness about domestic violence and sexual assault.

“Endworks” is a collaboration between the Cultural Alliance of Western Connecticut and the Women’s Center of Greater Danbury.  The relationship between artist and audience is distinctive, creating an artist-led encounter between those whose lives have been touched by domestic violence and sexual assault, and those who have not. The current art exhibit explores these issues and what it means to the artist personally and perhaps for our nation at large.  It is also a place to create common ground, to explore these topics more fully, to inspire truth and hope, and to deepen our dialogue.

“Open Mic Night” is an invitation to a community of all ages and abilities to participate in an evening of performance. Performers of all levels who sing, play instruments (acoustic or electronic), write and perform poetry or spoken word, essayists and all other performing artists who seek an audience are welcome. Help the Cultural Alliance celebrate writing that speaks to transformation, renewal, and inspires a sense of hope and new beginning, perseverance and inner strength, fostering a shared narrative that is empowering as it relates to domestic violence, sexual assault, and broader issues of violence. Share your writing with local and regional like-minded writers, artists, and community members. Enjoy the art exhibit. Light refreshments will be served, and  original artworks and broadsides are for sale.

Spaces are limited, so reservations are required. If you would like to perform or attend as an audience member, please register. Go to http://bit.ly/endworksopenmic to join in this special evening. First come, first perform, and share our creative community voices.

Featured writers will include:

 

Photo: Rennie McQuilkin.

:

Rennie McQuilkin, 2017 Poet Laureate for the State of Connecticut, Connecticut Commission on the Arts. Rennie has an extensive background participating in poetry readings and workshops in Connecticut and beyond, as well as a distinguished literary career with several published full-length collections of poetry. His work has appeared in The Atlantic, Poetry, The Yale Review, Yankee, The Hudson Review, The Southern Review, Crazyhorse, The Gettysburg Review, The Christian Science Monitor, The North American Review, The American Scholar, and many other publications.

 

Photo: Lea Graham.

 

Lea Graham, author of chapbooks and the poetry book, Hough & Helix & Where & Here & You, You, You, published by No Tell Books in 2011. Her poems, translations, reviews and essays have been published in numerous journals and anthologies. She is Associate Professor of English at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, New York.

Major funding is provided by the Connecticut Office of the Arts. @287 Gallery is supported by the Savings Bank of Danbury.