On Friday, Feb. 22, Poetry & Art 2019 at the San Diego Art Institute presents a reading by renowned local authors
Karla Cordero and Jeff Walt. People’s Choice open mic follows. Hosted by Michael Klam. DJ Gill Sotu will provide music and sound throughout the show.

This interactive arts and culture experience will include beverages, snacks and time to mingle. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., and the show starts at 7 p.m. Members are free, nonmembers $6 at the door. The event takes place in the San Diego Art Institute, 1439 El Prado, Balboa Park.

AUTHOR DETAILS:

Karla Cordero is a descendant of the Chichimeca people from northern Mexico, a Chicana poet, educator, and activist, raised along the borderlands of Calexico, CA. She is a Pushcart nominee and offered fellowships from VONA, Macondo, The Loft Literary Center, CantoMundo, and Pink Door Retreat. Karla teaches creative writing and composition at San Diego City College and MiraCosta College, receiving recognitions such as the San Diego State University Global Diversity Award and Associate Faculty of the Year for education and social justice.

Jeff Walt was born and raised in rural Pennsylvania among a community of railroad workers, brick layers, and strip miners. He’s been employed as a cowboy at Walt Disney World; gallery attendant; customer service trainer; a cook; masseur; barista; and as an adjunct English composition instructor at Honolulu Community College.  He graduated from Goddard College in Vermont with his MFA in Writing and Literature. Jeff is a three-time Pushcart Prize nominee and has placed in various national poetry contests. A passionate Aquarian and cinephile, he pops for decoupage, collage, salvaging, macrobiotic food, mixology, home exchange, and Mid-Century modern architecture. Currently, he thrives in sunny San Diego as a Regional Editor and The Kowit Poetry Contest Coordinator for the San Diego Poetry Annual, which is part of the San Diego Arts & Entertainment Guild.

SHOW/PEOPLE’S CHOICE DETAILS:

The People’s Choice Poem Performance Awards – Participants read/perform one poem under three minutes long. Audience members choose (by secret ballot) their favorite poem based on content and performance. Props, artwork, singing, music, dancing, all accompaniment is allowed and anything goes. Top poem performances (the poems that receive the most votes) win $50. Audience members will be encouraged to hoot for their favorites and try to influence the rest of the audience.  Writers/artists who would like to participate in the People’s Choice Poem Performance Awards can get their names in the hat ahead of time at mkklam@gmail.com or text 619-957-3264.  It is a good idea to sign up early by email or text message as space and time are limited!

Support and sponsorship by San Diego Entertainment & Arts Guild, The San Diego Poetry Annual, and Puna Press.

CONTACT AND LINKS:

Please contact host Michael Klam with any questions: 619-957-3264 (cell) or 619-236-0011 (museum) or mkklam@gmail.com. Visit us online at poetryandartsd.com and sandiego-art.org.

Support and sponsorship by San Diego Entertainment & Arts Guild, The San Diego Poetry Annual, Puna Press, San Diego Writers, Ink, Poetry International, San Diego Art Institute, and Jihmye Poetry. 

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 The Spacebar Cafe & Wine Bistro Presents

2^nd Sunday – Jihmye Poetry Open Mic

Sunday, January 13, 2019

3:00 P.M. – 5:30 P.M. – No Cover

7454 University Ave Suite A La Mesa CA 91942

Info: (619) 461-7100 or (760) 802-2449

This month’s feature is Michael Klam, with co-hosts Jim Moreno & Theresa F., and music by Afrosurf Shack. Poets have 7 minutes, musicians have 2 songs or 10 minutes on the mic.

About Michael Klam

Michael Klam has organized and hosted the Poetry & Art Series at the San Diego Art Institute since 2001. He is the author of two books of poetry, Emma & The Buddha Frog and The Cheapest Flight To Paradise, both from Puna Press. His freelance work has appeared in San Diego CityBeat, The San Diego Daily Transcript, Voice of San Diego and La Prensa San Diego. As a teacher, Klam co-created the Page to Canvas to Stage program, bringing poets, painters and K-12 students together to create visual art and perform poetry. To find out more about the Poetry & Art series, visit poetryandartsd.com and www.sandiego-art.org.