Art Project Grant

Spirit Lake Poetry Series' success was measured by a) poets featured in our readings; b) the quality of those readings; and c) attendance at these readings. With our awarded grant funds, we featured three recently award-winning local, regional and national poets. In November 2015, Duluthian Julie Gard read from her poetry collection 'Home Studies'; newly published in 2015, and the winner of the New Rivers Press 2015 Many Voices Poetry Award. This reading served as Gard's Duluth launch for 'Home Studies' and many community members and students were in attendance. In March 2016, Minneapolis poet Jennifer Willoughby read from her new collection 'Beautiful Zero'. The collection won the 2015 Lindquist and Vellum prize sponsored and published by Milkweed Editions, which is based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. This is the second year that Spirit Lake Poetry Series has partnered with Milkweed Editions to bring one of their authors to read for our series. Camille Dungy read for Spirit Lake Poetry Series in April 2016. Ms. Dungy is the author of three award-winning poetry books from Crab Orchard Open Book Prize and Red Hen Press, and is also the recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts', Cave Canem and Bread Loaf Writers' Awards. Both Gard and Dungy treated their audiences to a roughly 45 minute question and answer session after their readings, which audiences thoroughly enjoyed. Audience members asked a number of thoughtful questions and received excellent and appreciative responses. A total of 150 audience members, both local and regional, attended the three readings. This year's poets were thrilled to participate in the reading series and had a great time before, during and after the readings. Both audience members and poets were energized during these readings, and the events were met with much acclaim and audience attendance; all readings were standing-room only!