352Creates invites you to attend ArtSpeaks’ annual “Courageous Young Voices” event held at the Historic Thomas Center on Sunday, March 8th from 4 to 7 p.m. The event is free and open to the public and encourages active participation. For more information to sign up, see the bottom of the page. “Courageous Young Voices” aims to bring people and poetry together, to share meaningful and impactful experiences through art and expression. The event provides a platform for talented young poets to speak their mind through writing.

ArtSpeaks’ long-standing partnership with Gainesville150!, the city of Gainesville’s 1869 embodiment, is proud to present the award-winning Baltimore poet, Grim Jackson. Grim Jackson began to write poetry as a form of self-expression in his high school poetry club. Later, he became the only person to have earned the Brave New Voices International Youth Poetry Slam and the National Poetry Slam simultaneously in the same year. Jackson is now a teaching artist who performs and instructs workshops within the United States.

“Courageous Young Voices” is just one of the many city-produced events in commemorating the 150th anniversary of the embodiment of the city of Gainesville in 1869. “Gainesville150! aims to observe the historic milestone by bringing the community together through the anniversary year to reflect on our shared heritage, engage in building stronger relationships and looking forward toward our boundless future as the ‘New American City.’” Gainesville150! continues to administer a yearlong series of programs, workshops, and activities that celebrate the city of Gainesville.

“ArtSpeaks promotes healthy communities through the intersection of art and mental health, by exploring and utilizing the expressive and therapeutic uses of poetry, creative writing, and literature. ArtSpeaks is dedicated to promoting literature, encouraging creativity, bringing awareness through art activism, and expanding ideas and opportunity by providing a medium for expression through the art of poetry, spoken word, and storytelling.”

To participate, PLEASE SIGN UP HERE:

estanrich@artspeaksgnv.org

OR BY EMAIL:

estanleyrichardson@gmail.com

For questions and concerns, CONTACT:

ArtSpeaks by phone / text (352) 792-2846

Blog post by Cameron Sonnentag and photographs by ArtSpeaks.