Poetry in the Gallery returns with the second annual Slam in the Gallery! Join us for another fantastic event of poetry and creativity with a fun, competitive twist.

The slam will feature up to eight brave poets performing their work in front of a panel of judges to be scored, with the winner and runner-up receiving cash prizes. If you are interested in taking part in the slam, advance sign-ups are now open (please contact Sean Colletti at sean[at]studiochannelislands.org). Participants only need two poems, each under three minutes in performance length. No props may be used during slam performances.

This month will also be featuring Friday Gretchen!

As always, there will be an open mic. Poets who would like to perform can sign up on the day and will have a maximum of five minutes (if you have shorter poems, please feel free to do more than one). Tickets are free for all students, members of the gallery and performers. So, if you plan to read on the open mic, please reserve a free ticket, since you will count as a performer. General admission is a suggested $10 donation. If you would like to attend but cannot afford the donation, please contact sean[at]studiochannelislands.org for options of financial support.

A deeply empathic human raised on Wonder Woman & Charlie’s Angels, Friday Gretchen dwells in Ventura, where she advocates for the arts: literary, visual & performance. She was one of five poets that established the offices of poet laureate & youth poet laureate for Ventura County. She’s performed her work internationally and has been published in Miramar, Solo Novo, Spillway and within several anthologies. Her book of selected poems is titled, Unkindnesses.