Writers in the Community @ EWU

Spokane Arts launches first Youth Poet Laureate Program for teens SPOKANE, Wash. — Spokane Arts is accepting applications for the city's first Youth Poet Laureate, creating a new civic leadership opportunity for young writers between ages 14 and 17 who

Applications are open now for Spokane's first ever Youth Poet Laureate! Know a teen who loves poetry and wants to share that love with the community? Spread the word!

Poetry Before Dark — SPARK CENTRAL Join us for a workshop catered to driven poets. Eastern Washington University MFA students will lead us in discussions about craft elements, style, and form.

After a lil' break, Poetry Before Dark is back! Saturdays at noon at Spark Central with WITC interns Harley & Sophia. Free and open to all!

Twilight Trivia Fundraiser Join us for our annual Trivia Fundraiser at Iron Goat on Super Bowl Sunday!

Our sister org, the Get Lit! Festival is having a fundraiser! Come play Twilight Trivia at Iron Goat Brewing! Sunday, Feb. 8 @noon.
events.humanitix.com/twilight-tri...

Winter Quarter – Welcome Back! From Mackenzie Draper, WITC Student Director

Today on our Substack, some winter quarter thoughts from our WITC student director!

...And a link for the poetry workshop!

events.humanitix.com/catalyst-com...

The Catalyst Community Writing Workshop, run by 3 WITC interns, is open for winter registration! Last quarter this workshop was insanely popular with both sessions running totally full. Get your spot now!
events.humanitix.com/catalyst-com...

Thank you so much to everyone who attended the Youth Poetry Workshop this last Saturday led by Rosa Lane! We had such a great turnout and an amazing lesson by Rosa. We're so grateful to all the adults who helped make this happen and all of the teens who shared their incredible poetry with us.

Shadle Park Library workshops shows 'Poetry is for Everyone' Poetry isn’t just for the romantics, the literary types or the melancholic. Poetry can be for everyone. American poet Lucille Clifton said, “Poetry is a matter of life, not just a matter of language.”

Just because a WITCer graduates, doesn't mean they stop WITCing!

Check out alum @mixophrygonium.bsky.social in the Spokesman talking about her ongoing library workshop series, Poetry is for Everyone!

New creative writing class for seniors!
WITC intern Hannah will host a weekly workshop at SPL. This class is designed to be welcoming to folks living with dementia and was designed in collaboration with a dementia resource specialist. All are welcome! And, like all WITC programs, it's free!

Poetry After Dark — SPARK CENTRAL SATURDAYS • 12:30 - 2 PM IN THE SPARK CENTRAL STUDIO Adults · Join us for a workshop catered to driven poets. Eastern Washington University MFA students will lead us in discussions about craft elem...

Our long-running drop-in generative poetry workshop, Poetry After Dark at Spark Central, is moving to a new time with new instructors. Please join us Saturday at 12:30pm to welcome first year WITC interns Harley & Sophia to Poetry After Dark! We know they are going to do great!

WITC is delighted to be working with Spokane Poet Laureate Mery Smith in support of the Youth Poet Laureate program. What fun to see teens engaging with poetry all over town!

Join us this Wed. Oct. 29 from 6:30-9 at Neato Burrito for an Open Mic Night Featuring students from the Community School!

Introductions & A New School Year From Mackenzie Draper, WITC Student Director

Have you met WITC's new student director? Mackenzie is doing tremendous work for our community already. We are so lucky to have them!

Tomorrow! Reading with Poet Laureate and WITC community partner Mery Smith! Gonna be a good one for sure!

WITC End-of-Year Round-up By WITC Faculty Director Leyna Krow

Wow! WITC interns did so much during the 24-25 school year! Here's all the things we taught, led, organized, and made.

New on the Substack:
Reflections from teaching creative writing at Odyssey Youth Movement!
witcewu.substack.com/p/rememberin...

Biggest congrats to EWU's 15 newest Masters of the Fine Arts! This cohort has been such a joy to work with - talented writers, thoughtful educators, dedicated community arts organizers, and such good friends to each other! We are sad to see you all go, but so excited to see what you will do next!

Local writers Mery Smith and Bruce Asper bring poetry workshops to Airway Heights Corrections Center Mery Smith's tumultuous journey to the title Spokane Poet Laureate included flunking out of college due to alcoholism and navigating life as a single parent....

More great press for Bruce & Mery's workshop project at Airway Heights Corrections Center!

From the Mouths of Babes: Reflections on Teaching Poetry at Longfellow Elementary From Mackenzie Draper, WITC Intern

New on our Substack: WITC Intern Mackenzie shares lessons from Longfellow Elementary's 2nd grade poets.

Biggest congrats to @mixophrygonium.bsky.social who won this year's EWU Student Leadership Award in Community Service for their work with WITC!! We are so lucky to have you!!

Mery Smith brings poetry to the inside: 'Poetry does save lives' The role of Spokane poet laureate asks laureates to, putting it plainly, bring poetry to one and all. To do this, laureates host classes and workshops, among other projects, which give members of the ...

Great article in the Spokesman yesterday about Spokane Poet Laureate Mery Smith's partnership with WITC to bring creative writing classes back to the Airway Heights Corrections Center!

Get Lit! Festival 2025: Dynamic Identities in YA Fiction: The Se... View more about this event at Get Lit! Festival 2025

Get Lit! Festival shoutout for Friday! WITC intern Emily Ladd is moderating a panel - "Dynamic Identities in YA Fiction." 2pm at the Central Library!

What a night! Big thanks to everyone who came out to the InRoads release party! And a biggest thanks of all to the authors who shared their work with us. A number of readers said this was their first publication & even their first time reading creative work in front of a crowd!

Get Lit! Festival 2025: Writers in the Community: InRoads Releas... View more about this event at Get Lit! Festival 2025

Come help us celebrate the release of this year's InRoads anthology! Tonight at Spark Central at 5:30pm. We'll hear readings from InRoads authors and celebrate the good work of all our WITC interns and their students.

The Get Lit! Festival Get Lit! Festival celebrates the power of the written word.

Happy first day of Get Lit! Spokane's amazing annual literary festival is happening now! Can't wait to see everyone at all of the things!

Just 1 week until we celebrate the launch of InRoads issue 28! Hope you can join us!

Are you at #AWP25? Come visit us & @willowspringsmag.bsky.social at booth T522!

What Subway Sandwiches Can Teach Us About Choice From Avery Knochel, WITC Intern

From our Substack - WITC Intern Avery Knochel reflects on her experience teaching fiction at Airways Heights Corrections Center, and her favorite writing prompt for helping students explore conflict.

Big news! WITC student director Bruce Asper is teaming up with Spokane Poet Laureate Mery Smith to lead weekly creative writing workshops at Airway Heights Correctional Facility. WITC has a long history of work with Airway Heights and we are so excited to be back there as part of this project.

3 Lessons I Learned About Teaching from Volunteering at the Level-Up Afterschool Program at Holmes Elementary School From Maki Thiersch, WITC Intern

New on our Substack, WITC intern & incoming @willowspringsmag.bsky.social managing editor Maki Thiersch reflects on their experience mentoring 3rd-5th graders in creative writing, visual art, and journalism through the Level-Up afterschool program.

Thank you @witcewu.bsky.social for the amazing opportunities this year. Odyssey Youth Movement has fun, creative artists and I can't wait to see where they go!