Third Annual Verse~Converse Poetry Festival news

VC Events and Venues:

Thursday, June 3rd – Taos Invitational Poetry Championship -- Youth Bracket

Youth Poetry Oympics:

·         12 pm meeting/intros

·         Brunch (11:30 – 12:30 buffet)

·         Workshop with Dain Michael Down – 12:30 – 2:30

·         Main Event – 6 -10 pm

·         Venue: Taos High School

Friday June 4^th – Sacred Landscapes – a workshop for youth on the history and impact of a people on the land

Led by:  Francis Hahn

·         10:30 am at the Gorge – meditation exercise with Zachary Kluckman

·         12 – 1:30 pm at the Earthships Biotecture project, Sacred Places Writing Session

·         Venue: The Earthships Project

Friday, June 4^th – VCF Award for Film Ceremony and Screening

·         3 pm to 5:30 pm

·         Venue - TBA

·         Screening of “Spoken Word” (116 min.)

·         Q&A with Screenwriter (and Subject of the film) - Joe Ray Sandoval

Friday, June 4th – Taos Invitational Poetry Championship -- Professional Bracket:

Emcee: James Nave

·         6 to 9 pm

·         Venue: Shadows Lounge and Grill

Poets from across the nation, including Denver, Taos, Albuquerque, Seattle, Austin, New York City and Oklahoma City come together to compete for $500. Competitors include Suzi Q, Jessica Lopez, Dain Michael Down, Christian Drake, Rob Sturma, Juan Concha and more (see website for full list)

Saturday June 5^th – Sacred Words Workshops

·         10 am – 3pm

·         Venue:  Kachina Lodge

Workshops include:

(Visit the website for more detailed descriptions)

Ø  Danny Solis – TBA

Ø  Jessica Lopez - Intoxicating the Sacred: Erotica Poetry

Ø  Dain Michael Down – Sestinas

Ø  Kenneth Gurney – Using Surrealist Techniques in Writing

Ø  Kelly Zen- Yie Tsai – Canaries In The Coal Mine: Developing and Accepting The Sacred In Spoken Word Poetry

Ø  Rob Sturma – Pop Goes the Culture

Saturday June 5^th – Verse~Converse Poetry Main Show

·         7:30 pm – 10 pm

·         Venue:  Kachina Lodge Cabaret room

·         Headlining – Kelly Zen-Yie Tsai, Joe Ray Sandoval and Jessica Helen Lopez

A beautiful night of verse celebrating every tradition in modern poetics, from free verse to spoken word. Opening featurettes with the winner of the youth team competition from Thursday night, and several guest poets including Priscilla Baca y Candelaria, Lisa Gill and more.

Sunday June 6^th – Closing Circle: Open Reading on Taos Plaza

·         10 am – 12 pm

An open reading circle in the Plaza where everyone is invited to share work in an open and welcoming environment.

Sunday June 6^th – Film Screening

·         1 pm – 3:30 pm

·         Screening of the Humberville Poetry Slam (A Satire)

·         Screening of Spoken Word

·         Venue: TBA