If you haven't visited New York City's Grand Central Terminal in a while, this weeked would be a great time to go. Take in the beauty and energy of this New York City landmark and enjoy the POETRY IN MOTION SPRINGFEST:
A Two-Day Festival of Poetry, April 26-27, 2014
Vanderbilt Hall, Grand Central Terminal
On Saturday, April 26 and Sunday, April 27, in celebration of National Poetry Month, MTA Arts for Transit & Urban Design presents Poetry in Motion Springfest, in partnership with the Poetry Society of America, the nation's oldest poetry organization. The program was inspired by New York State Poet Laureate Marie Howe, Arts for Transit's de facto Poet in Residence, who is dedicated to bringing poetry to everyone in the metropolitan area.
The celebration is free and open to the public and takes place in Grand Central Terminal's Vanderbilt Hall from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on both days, featuring a variety of poetry activities:
- The Poet is In: an array of award-winning poets, including NY State Poet Laureate Marie Howe, Brooklyn Poet Laureate Tina Chang and Bob Holman, founder of the Bowery Poetry Café, will sit in a booth (inspired by Lucy's booth from the Peanuts comic strip) and write poems for those who request one;
- Two interactive installations from students of Poetry Everywhere, a collaborative class taught by Howe and Gabriel Barcia-Colombo at the Interactive Telecommunications Program, Tisch School of the Arts: Vital Signs: Pulse Poems by Sarah Rothberg, which projects verses based on a reader's pulse, and Deer Dear by Yu-Ting Feng, which invites the viewer to help a deer with writer's block compose a poem.
- The Poet is You: writing activities for young people to compose poems and display them (ages 6 and up; space is limited. RSVP required. Register at www.nycharities.com)
- Poetry Projections from the popular program Poetry in Motion® will be projected on walls, designed by artist Gabriel Barcia-Colombo;
- The Human Mic: Call-and-response recitations of poems by American poets Walt Whitman, Emily Dickinson, Langston Hughes, and Lucille Clifton. (No previous experience necessary.)
- Music Under New York: A variety of musicians from the MUNY program will perform throughout the festival.
- …And other surprise guests!
"Springfest brings our beloved Poetry in Motion® program to a grand setting, with a weekend of poetry and music inside the elegant Vanderbilt Hall. Millions of riders discover poetry in subway cars, but Springfest gives them the opportunity to experience firsthand the feeling of reciting and writing it. Whether it is meeting poets or engaging in one of the interactive installations, there will be so many ways to create a personal moment in an inspiring public space," said Sandra Bloodworth, Director, MTA Arts for Transit & Urban Design.
"The Poetry Society of America is committed to placing poetry at the crossroads of American life, and Grand Central Terminal is an ideal arena for fulfilling this mission. The PSA is honored to collaborate with MTA Arts for Transit & Urban Design and New York State's Poet Laureate Marie Howe and all the other marvelous artists and poets who will contribute to this exuberant feast of literary and artistic offerings. Come one, come all to Vanderbilt Hall on April 26 and 27, 2014," said Alice Quinn, Executive Director of the Poetry Society of America.
For a full schedule of events, please consult www.mta.info/art or www.poetrysociety.org/events
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