We are so grateful that young people are interested in sharing their poetry with a diverse group of all ages here at WHAM.”

Maggie Gautier | WHAM literary arts manager

IF YOU GO

What: WHAM! poetry open-mic night

When: 6:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 20

Where: WHAM, 16560 N. Dysart Road

Tickets: $5 donation

Information: 623-584-8311

Olivia Hanson, of Paradise Honors High School and a Surprise resident, will be the featured poet at the monthly open-mic night held at WHAM.

Olivia will be presenting some of her original award-winning poetry as the second-place winner in the West Valley Youth Poet Laureate Competition sponsored yearly at WHAM-art.org.

It will be held at 6:30 p.m. Friday Sept. 20 at 16560 N. Dysart Road. It’s an all-ages event with a $5 donation. Treats will be provided.

The inclusion of this years’ West Valley Youth Poet Laureate participants as featured poets through-out the year is just one way of providing youth poets an additional platform outside of the classroom to share their work, promote poetry and spoken word and to get additional public speaking experience.

“We are so grateful that young people are interested in sharing their poetry with a diverse group of all ages here at WHAM,” said Maggie Gautier, the literary arts manager. ‘It takes courage and these young poets have created an incredible amount of quality work.”

The open-mic at WHAM is in its eighth year and is a monthly literary arts program event from 6:30 to 8 p.m. on the third Friday of every month. Call 623-584-8311.

WHAM Art Association is a community-oriented nonprofit organization that is bringing the arts to people of all ages, race, abilities and economic status in many of the West Valley cities.

WHAM‘s mission is to provide innovative, multidisciplinary, arts-inclusive programming, exhibits and projects to the diverse communities it serves.