All Writes Reserved (AWR) empowers young people, giving them instruction and resources to express themselves in classrooms and onstage. The Nebraska Writers Collective provides free spoken word poetry lessons and workshops with local writers and monthly all-ages open mics from August to April. At the end of the school year, the program culminates in a spoken word poetry festival where students from 30+ schools across Nebraska and parts of Iowa share what they’ve been working on throughout the season. The festival will take place between March and April in a series of poetry bouts. The final bout is at 7 p.m. on April 30 at the Holland Center. Visit the Nebraska Writers Collective events website for current information.
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All Writes Reserved 2024 semifinal bouts (Read More)
All Writes Reserved (AWR) empowers young people, giving them instruction and resources to express themselves in classrooms and onstage. The Nebraska Writers Collective provides free spoken word poetry lessons and workshops with local writers and monthly all-ages open mics from August to April. At the end of the school year, the program culminates in a spoken word poetry festival where students from 30+ schools across Nebraska and parts of Iowa share what they’ve been working on throughout the season. The festival will take place between March and April in a series of poetry bouts. Semifinal bouts are 5:30-9:30 p.m. on April 16 and 18 at the Benson Theater. Visit the Nebraska Writers Collective events website for current information.
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All Writes Reserved 2024 semifinal bouts (Read More)
All Writes Reserved (AWR) empowers young people, giving them instruction and resources to express themselves in classrooms and onstage. The Nebraska Writers Collective provides free spoken word poetry lessons and workshops with local writers and monthly all-ages open mics from August to April. At the end of the school year, the program culminates in a spoken word poetry festival where students from 30+ schools across Nebraska and parts of Iowa share what they’ve been working on throughout the season. The festival will take place between March and April in a series of poetry bouts. Semifinal bouts are 5:30-9:30 p.m. on April 16 and 18 at the Benson Theater. Visit the Nebraska Writers Collective events website for current information.
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All Writes Reserved 2024 Omaha preliminary bouts (Read More)
All Writes Reserved (AWR) empowers young people, giving them instruction and resources to express themselves in classrooms and onstage. The Nebraska Writers Collective provides free spoken word poetry lessons and workshops with local writers and monthly all-ages open mics from August to April. At the end of the school year, the program culminates in a spoken word poetry festival where students from 30+ schools across Nebraska and parts of Iowa share what they’ve been working on throughout the season. The festival will take place between March and April in a series of poetry bouts. Omaha preliminary bouts are 5:30-9:30 p.m. April 2-4 on the Metropolitan Community College South Omaha Campus. Visit the Nebraska Writers Collective events website for current information.
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All Writes Reserved 2024 Omaha preliminary bouts (Read More)
All Writes Reserved (AWR) empowers young people, giving them instruction and resources to express themselves in classrooms and onstage. The Nebraska Writers Collective provides free spoken word poetry lessons and workshops with local writers and monthly all-ages open mics from August to April. At the end of the school year, the program culminates in a spoken word poetry festival where students from 30+ schools across Nebraska and parts of Iowa share what they’ve been working on throughout the season. The festival will take place between March and April in a series of poetry bouts. Omaha preliminary bouts are 5:30-9:30 p.m. April 2-4 on the Metropolitan Community College South Omaha Campus. Visit the Nebraska Writers Collective events website for current information.
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All Writes Reserved 2024 Omaha preliminary bouts (Read More)
All Writes Reserved (AWR) empowers young people, giving them instruction and resources to express themselves in classrooms and onstage. The Nebraska Writers Collective provides free spoken word poetry lessons and workshops with local writers and monthly all-ages open mics from August to April. At the end of the school year, the program culminates in a spoken word poetry festival where students from 30+ schools across Nebraska and parts of Iowa share what they’ve been working on throughout the season. The festival will take place between March and April in a series of poetry bouts. Omaha preliminary bouts are 5:30-9:30 p.m. April 2-4 on the Metropolitan Community College South Omaha Campus. Visit the Nebraska Writers Collective events website for current information.
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All Writes Reserved 2024 Lincoln preliminary bouts (Read More)
All Writes Reserved (AWR) empowers young people, giving them instruction and resources to express themselves in classrooms and onstage. The Nebraska Writers Collective provides free spoken word poetry lessons and workshops with local writers and monthly all-ages open mics from August to April. At the end of the school year, the program culminates in a spoken word poetry festival where students from 30+ schools across Nebraska and parts of Iowa share what they’ve been working on throughout the season. The festival will take place between March and April in a series of poetry bouts. Lincoln preliminary bouts are 5:30-9:30 p.m.: March 26 UNL City Campus Nebraska Union March 27 UNL City Campus Nebraska Union March 28 UNL City Campus Jackie Gaughan Multicultural Center Visit the Nebraska Writers Collective events website for current information.
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All Writes Reserved 2024 Lincoln preliminary bouts (Read More)
All Writes Reserved (AWR) empowers young people, giving them instruction and resources to express themselves in classrooms and onstage. The Nebraska Writers Collective provides free spoken word poetry lessons and workshops with local writers and monthly all-ages open mics from August to April. At the end of the school year, the program culminates in a spoken word poetry festival where students from 30+ schools across Nebraska and parts of Iowa share what they’ve been working on throughout the season. The festival will take place between March and April in a series of poetry bouts. Lincoln preliminary bouts are 5:30-9:30 p.m.: March 26 UNL City Campus Nebraska Union March 27 UNL City Campus Nebraska Union March 28 UNL City Campus Jackie Gaughan Multicultural Center Visit the Nebraska Writers Collective events website for current information.
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All Writes Reserved 2024 Lincoln preliminary bouts (Read More)
All Writes Reserved (AWR) empowers young people, giving them instruction and resources to express themselves in classrooms and onstage. The Nebraska Writers Collective provides free spoken word poetry lessons and workshops with local writers and monthly all-ages open mics from August to April. At the end of the school year, the program culminates in a spoken word poetry festival where students from 30+ schools across Nebraska and parts of Iowa share what they’ve been working on throughout the season. The festival will take place between March and April in a series of poetry bouts. Lincoln preliminary bouts are 5:30-9:30 p.m.: March 26 UNL City Campus Nebraska Union March 27 UNL City Campus Nebraska Union March 28 UNL City Campus Jackie Gaughan Multicultural Center Visit the Nebraska Writers Collective events website for current information.
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All Writes Reserved 2024 Lincoln preliminary bouts (Read More)
All Writes Reserved (AWR) empowers young people, giving them instruction and resources to express themselves in classrooms and onstage. The Nebraska Writers Collective provides free spoken word poetry lessons and workshops with local writers and monthly all-ages open mics from August to April. At the end of the school year, the program culminates in a spoken word poetry festival where students from 30+ schools across Nebraska and parts of Iowa share what they’ve been working on throughout the season. The festival will take place between March and April in a series of poetry bouts. Lincoln preliminary bouts are 5:30-9:30 p.m.: March 26 UNL City Campus Nebraska Union March 27 UNL City Campus Nebraska Union March 28 UNL City Campus Jackie Gaughan Multicultural Center Visit the Nebraska Writers Collective events website for current information.
Opera Omaha selected 13 poems for the 2023-24 Poetry & Music Project. These original poems, written by Nebraska and Iowa students grades K through 12, were set to music by professional composers Sidney Marquez Boquiren and Amber Vistein and will be performed by Opera Omaha artists. Now in its 7th year, the Poetry & Music Project connects student poets and their words with composers to create original music and explore the connections between poetry and music. The statewide program, run in partnership with the Nebraska Writers Collective, seeks to amplify the voices of youth poets, both urban and rural, across Nebraska and Iowa. Opera Omaha has built a coalition of educators and music professionals in order to further promote the profound effect that artistic endeavors can have in the formative years of young imaginations. Click here for more information, or for free in-person tickets or registration for the live stream. The selected poems include: “A Rainy Day… Time Flies…” by Marty Minor, Lewis and Clark Middle School (Omaha), 7th Grade “Friends” by Sylvia Kastl, Norfolk Catholic (Norfolk), 5th Grade “From Darkness to Light” by Stephany Orellana-Gomez, Benson High School (Omaha), 10th Grade “I Am A Weird Kid” by Thaddeus Horner, Hayward Elementary (Nebraska City,) 3rd Grade “It Is What It Is” by Jackson Rios, Norfolk Catholic Elementary (Norfolk), 3rd Grade “3-1=2” by Keelynn Reese, Titan Hill Intermediate School (Council Bluffs, IA), 5th Grade “Laika” by Ava Larson Gallegos, Brownell Talbot (Omaha), 11th Grade “My Home” by Annabelle Wilson, St. Patrick School (McCook), 6th Grade “Finding My Story” by Emelia Howell, Homeschool (Bennington), 5th Grade “A Tale of Introversion” by Norah Purcell, Central High School (Omaha), 12th Grade “Don’t Grow Up” by Zehla Sobansky, Kiewit Middle School (Omaha), 7th Grade “The Sun” by Evie Nelson, Gretna High School (Gretna), 9th Grade “US” by River Sirek, Sacred Heart Elementary (Norfolk), 3rd Grade
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Visiting Writer Series: Performance with George Abraham (Read More)
Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. for an evening with George Abraham, a Palestinian American poet and writer. The event starts at 7 p.m. with local openers: Rachel Luck, Angélica Perez, and Shukura Huggins. There is a suggested donation of $10 for the event, but no one will be turned away. George Abraham (they/he/هو) is a Palestinian American poet, performance artist, and writer from Jacksonville, FL. Their debut poetry collection Birthright (Button Poetry, 2020) won the Arab American Book Award and the Big Other Book Award in Poetry, and was a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award in Bisexual Poetry. He is also the author of the chapbooks al youm (The Atlas Review, 2017), and the specimen's apology (Sibling Rivalry Press, 2019). He is a board member for the Radius of Arab American Writers (RAWI), a recipient of fellowships from Kundiman, The Arab American National Museum, The Boston Foundation, the National Performance Network, and the MAP Fund, and more. Their writing has appeared in Poetry Magazine, The Nation, The American Poetry Review, Guernica, The Baffler, The Paris Review, Mizna, and many other journals and anthologies. A graduate of Swarthmore College and Harvard University, Abraham has taught at Emerson College, and is currently based in Chicago, IL, where he is a Litowitz MFA+MA student in Poetry at Northwestern University. He is currently Executive Editor of the Whiting Award winning journal Mizna. Their collaborations include co-editing a Palestinian poetry anthology with Noor Hindi (Haymarket Books, 2025), and a performance art project titled EVE with Fargo Tbakhi.
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Visiting Writer Series: Workshop with George Abraham (Read More)
This writing workshop will be hosted by George Abraham (they/he/هو) is a Palestinian American poet, performance artist, and writer from Jacksonville, FL. There is a suggested donation of $10 for the workshop, but no one will be turned away. George Abraham's debut poetry collection Birthright (Button Poetry, 2020) won the Arab American Book Award and the Big Other Book Award in Poetry, and was a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award in Bisexual Poetry. He is also the author of the chapbooks al youm (The Atlas Review, 2017), and the specimen's apology (Sibling Rivalry Press, 2019). He is a board member for the Radius of Arab American Writers (RAWI), a recipient of fellowships from Kundiman, The Arab American National Museum, The Boston Foundation, the National Performance Network, and the MAP Fund, and more. Their writing has appeared in Poetry Magazine, The Nation, The American Poetry Review, Guernica, The Baffler, The Paris Review, Mizna, and many other journals and anthologies. A graduate of Swarthmore College and Harvard University, Abraham has taught at Emerson College, and is currently based in Chicago, IL, where he is a Litowitz MFA+MA student in Poetry at Northwestern University. He is currently Executive Editor of the Whiting Award winning journal Mizna. Their collaborations include co-editing a Palestinian poetry anthology with Noor Hindi (Haymarket Books, 2025), and a performance art project titled EVE with Fargo Tbakhi.
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Visiting Writer Series: Tony McPherson (Read More)
The Nebraska Writers Collective is thrilled to present Tony McPherson, a resident poet at the National Museum of African American History & Culture, for a writing workshop, a poetry reading and performance, and a special appearance at the Lincoln Poetry Slam. Tony McPherson is a former NYC subway breakdancer whose poetry appears in the Lionsgate film “Love Beats Rhymes,” produced by RZA of Wu-Tang, as well as the Emmy-winning documentary “Frameworks.” McPherson is the Rustbelt Slam champion, the Inkslam champion twice over, the Individual World Poetry Slam 1st runner up, and has reached over 10 million views since his first viral poem, “All Lives Matter: 1800’s Edition.” Workshop Sat., Nov. 4, 2-3:30 pm Bennett Martin Public Library, 136 South 14th Street, Lincoln Suggested donation: $10 Tony McPherson will guide participants through the art of generative writing. In this hands-on workshop, you'll delve into the creative process of coming up with new ideas, exploring your unique voice, and crafting compelling written pieces. All ages from high school and above are welcome to be part of this enriching experience. Whether you're an aspiring author, a seasoned poet, or just someone who loves putting thoughts to paper, you'll find inspiration and community here. Poetry Reading & Performance Sat., Nov. 4, 7-8:30 pm Swanson Auditorium in UNL Union, 1400 R Street, Lincoln Suggested donation: $10 Tony McPherson is featured for an evening of readings and performances. Bianca Swift, Shelby Martinez, and Syble Heffernan will also perform, and Stacey Waite will serve as host. Following the main event, poets of all ages are invited to participate in an open mic, whether a seasoned performer or stepping onto the stage for the first time. Each reader will have up to 5 minutes at the mic, depending on the number of participants. Lincoln Poetry Slam Thurs., Nov. 9, 7-9 pm Larksong Writers Place, 1600 N. Cotner Boulevard, Lincoln The Nebraska Writers Collective proudly presents the Lincoln Poetry Slam, a monthly open mic and poetry slam, held on the second Thursday of every month at Larksong Writers Place. This month’s event will include a feature set from Tony McPherson! Doors open at 6:30 p.m., event begins at 7 p.m. with an open mic, and then the competitive individual slam. For the open mic, you can perform either your work or the work of others with attribution. Open mic readers have up to five minutes to perform. If you plan to compete in the slam, bring three poems. Slam performers will have up to three minutes in each round to perform, and will be judged by five audience members on a scale from 0.0-10.0. Top performing poets will move onto the second and third rounds. All poems must be performed solo without props, costumes, musical accompaniment, and must consist entirely of the poet’s original words and work.
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Writing Workshop with U.S. Youth Poet Laureate (Read More)
National Youth Poet Laureate Salome Agbaroji will teach a free, all-ages writing workshop at the Carter Lake Public Library near the Omaha airport. All are welcome! Registration is required. See the Nebraska Writers Collective website for details and a registration link. Salome Agbaroji is the National Youth Poet Laureate of the United States 2023-2024, making her the first African with this title. She is a Nigerian-American poet that has written and/or performed spoken word poetry for the Golden Globes Pre-Show, NFL Rams Halftime Show, an Opening Act on Rupi Kaur's World Tour, the likes of Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, Black Lives Matter founder Patrisse Cullors, Mrs. Tina Lawson, and many more. This year, she will be an ambassador for Vans’ global brand campaign. Salome was a YoungArts winner in Spoken Word and has been honored by the Scholastic Arts and Writing Awards, among many others. She has been published in NPR's KCRW, Noema Magazine, the Harvard Technology Review, and more. Entering Harvard University studying Government and Political Science this fall, her focuses outside of poetry are civic engagement and advocacy about issues such as racism towards minority communities, immigrant stories, injustices in the international community, and more.
U.S. Youth Poet Laureate Salome Agbaroji will present a poetry reading, with local openers Amelia Escalante, Isabella Mitchell, Isabelle Ohlson, and Jules Wuestewald. Registration is required. Visit the Nebraska Writers Collective event website for more information and to register. Salome Agbaroji is the National Youth Poet Laureate of the United States 2023-2024, making her the first African with this title. She is a Nigerian-American poet that has written and/or performed spoken word poetry for the Golden Globes Pre-Show, NFL Rams Halftime Show, an Opening Act on Rupi Kaur's World Tour, the likes of Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, Black Lives Matter founder Patrisse Cullors, Mrs. Tina Lawson, and many more. This year, she will be an ambassador for Vans’ global brand campaign. Salome was a YoungArts winner in Spoken Word and has been honored by the Scholastic Arts and Writing Awards, among many others. She has been published in NPR's KCRW, Noema Magazine, the Harvard Technology Review, and more. Entering Harvard University studying Government and Political Science this fall, her focuses outside of poetry are civic engagement and advocacy about issues such as racism towards minority communities, immigrant stories, injustices in the international community, and more.
Now in its sixth year, the Poetry & Music Project connects student poets and their words with composers to create original music and explore the connections between poetry and music. The 22/23 Poetry & Music Project Concert will take place at The Benson Theater and via livestream. This event is free and open to the public. This concert will premiere 15 original pieces with words from poems selected from Nebraska students and set to music by professional composers Gabrielle Herbst and J.E. Hernández. Students were asked to write in connection to the theme for this year’s project, “Finding Your Voice.” Within this larger idea were sub-themes: Joy, Transformation, Creativity, Empathy, and Overcoming Obstacles. All 135 submitted poems will be included in the Poetry & Music Project book which will be distributed to all poets, teachers, concert audience, and available online in May. 22/23 selected poems: “Un Corps” by Addison Bryant, Anselmo-Merna Public School “I want my voice to be…” by Theodore Bullis, Castle Hill Academy “Capturing the essence of your voice” by Maggie Dendinger, Cedar Catholic High School “Not all of us live the same” by Claire Gunn, Gretna Middle School “You Are Beautiful” by Emma Kaiser, Portal Elementary “I’ll Grow” by Aarya Khobare, Millard North Middle School “Voice Emotions” by Makayla Klinefelter, St. John the Baptist School “I am not Alone” by Lucie Lautenschlager, Palmer Public School “Untitled” by MaKenna Love, Norfolk Catholic “Burning Stars” by Athiei Majuec, Logan Fontenelle Middle School “Joy” by Ava Noecker, Cedar Catholic High School “Universe’s End” by Kylie Remm, Douglas West High School “Sweet Little Lullabies” by Meyiah Sanchez, Omaha Street School “The Land I Call Home” by Ava Stewart, Cedar Catholic High School “Love, Heart, Kind” by Kim Valquier, Hayward School
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Writing Workshop with Yesenia Montilla (Read More)
This workshop with Yesenia Montilla, recommended for ages 16+, is part of the Touring Artist Series of the All Writes Reserved Youth Poetry Festival. The event is free, but registration is required. HONING THE MUSE How to find inspiration through the concept of modern day muse. Yesenia Montilla is an Afro-Latina poet & a daughter of immigrants. She received her MFA from Drew University in Poetry & Poetry in translation. She is a CantoMundo graduate fellow and a 2020 NYFA fellow. Her work has been published in Academy of American Poets Poem-a-Day, Prairie Schooner, Gulf Coast and in Best of American Poetry 2021 and 2022. Her first collection The Pink Box is published by Willow Books & was longlisted for a PEN Open Book award. Her second collection Muse Found in a Colonized Body published by Four Way Books was nominated for an NAACP Image Award in 2023. She lives in Harlem, NY.
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Creative Writing Workshop with Kush Thompson (Read More)
This workshop with Kush Thompson, recommended for ages 16+, is part of the Touring Artist Series of the All Writes Reserved Youth Poetry Festival. The event is free, but registration is required. Cloud in a Bed, Moon in a Cage: How to Reverse-Engineer a Metaphor from Surrealist Imagery In this workshop, we’ll chisel a rabbit hole into the world within metaphor to discover what transforms when imagery unravels. Inspired by the surrealism of Mahmoud Darwish, Remedios Varo, and Ed, Edd n Eddy, this almost-ekphrastic workshop borrows alchemical imagery, takes it apart, and turns the abstract literal. Author of A Church Beneath the Bulldozer (2014) and creator of the pink-haired Blk Hottie portraiture series, Kush Thompson is a Chicago-born poet, painter, archivist, educator, and a fellow of Luminarts and Cave Canem. She creates archival art; centering often on girlhood and the mechanics of memory. Her work has appeared in Poetry Magazine and The BreakBeat Poets: New American Poetry in the Age of Hip-Hop (2015). Kush herself can be found in the VHS bin at any given thrift store somewhere in New Orleans.
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Poetry reading with Tim “Toaster” Henderson (Read More)
Toaster is the co-creator of Big Kid Slam, a poetry slam invested in centering marginalized voices and terrible prizes. He has competed at every level of poetry slam, most recently competing as an Individual World Poetry Slam finalist. Toaster has featured in poetry events all over America, Vancouver and most recently Germany. His work can be found on Button Poetry, All Def Digital, Sofar Sounds and National Public Radio. If you’d like to learn more about Toaster, ask his mom - she put a scrapbook together. Toaster's poetry reading is part of the Touring Artist Series of the All Writes Reserved Youth Poetry Festival. Registration required.
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Creative Writing Workshop with Tim “Toaster” Henderson (Read More)
Toaster is the co-creator of Big Kid Slam, a poetry slam invested in centering marginalized voices and terrible prizes. He has competed at every level of poetry slam, most recently competing as an Individual World Poetry Slam finalist. Toaster has featured in poetry events all over America, Vancouver and most recently Germany. His work can be found on Button Poetry, All Def Digital, Sofar Sounds and National Public Radio. If you’d like to learn more about Toaster, ask his mom - she put a scrapbook together. Toaster's workshop is part of the Touring Artist Series of the All Writes Reserved Youth Poetry Festival. Registration is required.
The Nebraska-based writers and spoken word artists Ben Wenzl, Jewel Rodgers, and Rachel Luck will open for GARY SOTO. Soto will give a reading before joining NWC Co-Executive Director, Gina Tranisi, in conversation about his creative practice, his community, and his place in the creative canon. Gary Soto is known for a body of work that deals with the realities of growing up in Mexican American communities. In poems, novels, short stories, plays and over two dozen books for young people, Soto recreates the world of the barrio, the urban, Spanish-speaking neighborhood where he was raised, bringing the sights, sounds and smells vividly to life within the pages of his books. Soto’s poetry and prose focus on everyday experiences while evoking the harsh forces that often shape life for Chicanos, including racism, poverty, and crime. (Excerpt taken from the Poetry Foundation.) Gary Soto’s poetry reading is part of the Touring Artist Series of the All Writes Reserved Youth Poetry Festival. Ticket required.
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Creative Writing Workshop with Gary Soto (Read More)
Gary Soto is known for a body of work that deals with the realities of growing up in Mexican American communities. In poems, novels, short stories, plays and over two dozen books for young people, Soto recreates the world of the barrio, the urban, Spanish-speaking neighborhood where he was raised, bringing the sights, sounds and smells vividly to life within the pages of his books. Soto’s poetry and prose focus on everyday experiences while evoking the harsh forces that often shape life for Chicanos, including racism, poverty, and crime. (Excerpt taken from the Poetry Foundation.) Gary Soto's workshop is part of the Touring Artist Series of the All Writes Reserved Youth Poetry Festival. Ticket required.
