ABOUT THE VIRTUAL WORKSHOP
Assemblage Poetics: What We Make of It
Understanding hybrid approaches to poetry means embracing critical strategies beyond the literary norms of writing. Here, the building of poems will be like the construction of a mixtape—a curated and connected composition. Poems innovated by multiple forms of artwork and connective physical experience can magnify our impact. Collectively, we will read, write and share work, pushing our own multiple tool kits that emphasize poetry as method, as interrogation, as performance, as praxis. This session will incorporate theater, performance, and writing exercises, and encourage us to polish our emotional and connective landscape. This is generative-intensive and will also include readings, video study, sound study, and discussion.
Why You Should Take this Workshop:
This workshop engages in the spirit of possibility in performance, reading, and content development. Together, we will examine and chart poetry methods that elaborate on theatrical, sonic, visual, and hybrid approaches to constructing poems and a larger poetry vision. A keen focus will amplify vital poetry elaborations that extend and weave multiple art forms, visual aesthetics, theatrical, choreography, and performance styles. Together we’ll engage movement, sound, and organizational practices to amplify your poetry and maybe, your next book project.
ABOUT THE FACILITATOR
Kay Ulanday Barrett is a poet, essayist, cultural strategist, & A+ Napper. They are the 2026 Artist-in-Residence for Disability Poetics & Community Activism for the Collaboratory for Black Poiesis. They are a 2024–25 Disabled Futures Fellow awarded by The Ford Foundation and United States Artists and a recipient of the Foundation for Contemporary Arts Cy Twombly Award for Poetry. They have attended residences at Tin House, Millay Arts, Baldwin for the Arts, Lambda Literary, Macondo, and MacDowell. Their work has been published by the New York Times, Lit Hub, The Rumpus, Vogue, and other outlets. Their book “More Than Organs” (Sibling Rivalry Press, 2020) is a Stonewall Honor Book and a Lambda Literary Award Finalist. Find them on social media @brownroundboi.
ACCESSIBILITY
Accessibility is a core value for Split this Rock. We strive to provide programs, materials, and communications that allow people within the disability community to engage fully. Zoom auto-captions will be provided. Written versions of poem prompts and poems used for discussion will be provided via screen share, the chat, or links.
Let us know of any accessibility questions or accommodation requests via the workshop registration form or by emailing [email protected] with “ACCESS REQUEST” in the subject line by Wednesday, November 4. Given our ongoing funding challenges, we cannot promise accessibility services, but will do our best to provide accommodations.
ABOUT SPLIT THIS ROCK
Split this Rock is the only national organization with a mission to integrate poetry and social justice. We materially support poets who are often excluded and underrepresented in the literary landscape, particularly those who are BIPOC, LGBTQ+, disabled or chronically ill, and/or working class. With strong commitments to racial, gender, economic, and disability justice, we work to expand the horizons of inclusion and assert the transformative power of language to bear witness to injustice and provoke social change. We believe poetry acts as an agent for change by revealing the diversity and complexity of human experience, reflecting on daily lives and struggles, considering personal and social responsibility, and envisioning a better world. Learn more: splitthisrock.org.