Announcing The Poet House 2026 Season

Planting Starseeds: The Mothership Can’t Leave Without Us

The Poet House is excited to announce our 2026 season, Planting Starseeds: The Mothership Can’t Leave Without Us.

This season centers Black futures, collective care, and spoken word poetry as a living cultural practice. Throughout 2026, our programming brings poets, youth, and community members together through performance, education, and shared imagination.

2026 Programming Overview

Monday Night Open Mic

Held on the first three Mondays of each month with free admission, the Monday Night Open Mic remains the heart of our community practice. Programming includes First Monday Features, Community Spotlights, and rotating themed nights such as Poesía Cada.Palabra and Girls, Gays, and They’s Nights. Each night centers poetry, music, and care-centered community.

Productions and Showcases

In 2026, The Poet House will present two major annual productions:

• Lines for Liberation, a Black History Month spoken word showcase centering Black storytelling and performance

• Free Verse, a Juneteenth Poetry Festival celebrating liberation, creativity, and collective memory through poetry and performance

These productions reflect our commitment to honoring Black futures in motion with spoken word poets live on stage.

Education and Youth Programming

Our education offerings continue to expand through:

• Second Thursday online adult writing workshops, focused on craft development and performance practice

• Youth residency intensives, culminating in an open mic showcase that centers youth voice, leadership, and artistic growth

These programs are facilitated by teaching artists committed to culturally responsive pedagogy and care-centered learning.

Our Commitment

All 2026 programming is grounded in accessibility, consent-based documentation, and community care. We prioritize free and sliding-scale events, clear community guidelines, and spaces where artists and audiences can show up fully.

This season invites us to imagine boldly while staying rooted in each other. The future we are building is collective, intentional, and expansive.

The mothership can’t leave without us.

With care,

The Poet House Team