Literature

13th Annual PoetryFest

Curated by Nick Laird

Past Event

Details

Date(s)

Fri, Dec 2 - Sun, Dec 4, 2022

Contact

boxoffice@irishartscenter.org

Location

Irish Arts Center 
726 11th Avenue 
Hell's Kitchen, NYC

Overview

PoetryFest has for 13 years brought “literary revelry” (New Yorker) to audiences across NYC. Curated by Nick Laird, the weekend-long event is a haven away from our world of fast online verbiage, celebrating the value of sitting and listening to words written with sharpened care, intent, and nuance by some of today's foremost poets.

Most events are free, but reservations are recommended.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2

Favorite Irish Poems
8PM | $25 and up, including after-party

The opening night tradition of bringing together special guests and festival poets to share the Irish verses they love most.* 

Readings by: Catherine Barnett, Billy Collins, Aidan Connolly, Sasha Debevec-McKenney, Rachael Gilkey, Seán Hewitt, Bill Irwin, Victoria Kennefick, Nick Laird, Melissa Navia, Consul General Helena Nolan, Cáit O'Riordan, Louis de Paor, Mary Lou Quinlan, Maurice Riordan, Patricia Smith, J. Hope Stein, and Jessica Traynor

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3

Victoria Kennefick and Sasha Debevec-McKenney
2PM | FREE

Seán Hewitt and Catherine Barnett
3:30PM | FREE

Louis De Paor and Billy Collins
5PM | FREE

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 4

Jessica Traynor and Ilya Kaminsky
1PM | FREE

Desert Island Poems: Conversation with Maurice Riordan and Patricia Smith, moderated by Nick Laird
2:30PM | FREE

Maurice Riordan and Patricia Smith
4PM | FREE

Launch of Patrick Kavanaugh: Selected Poems with Paul Muldoon
5:30PM | FREE

With Our Partners at Glucksman Ireland House: The Tom Quinlan Lecture in Poetry
Sunday, December 4, 2PM | FREE | at Glucksman Ireland House NYU, 1 Washington Mews

Festival curator Nick Laird reads from his own work and introduces two of the visiting Irish poets who will be featured over the weekend.

This event is being recorded as part of a partnership with ALL ARTS Radio Hour, available on 88.3 WLIW FM, Long Island's only NPR station, wliw.org/radio or wherever you listen to podcasts.

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Lead event partner: The Adrian Brinkerhoff Poetry Foundation. Additional support generously provided by Culture Ireland, Tourism Ireland, Northern Ireland Bureau, and Mary Lou and Joe Quinlan.

PoetryFest's Favorite Irish Poems event was inspired in part by Robert Pinsky's Favorite Poem Project.

Bios

Nick Laird (curator)
Catherine Barnett (poet)
Billy Collins (poet)
Sasha Debevec-McKenney (poet)
Louis De Paor (poet)
Seán Hewitt (poet)
Ilya Kaminsky (poet)
Victoria Kennefick (poet)
Maurice Riordan (poet)
Patricia Smith (poet)
Jessica Traynor (poet)

Related

Our Supporters

Irish Arts Center programs are supported, in part, by government, foundation, and corporate partners including Culture Ireland, the agency for the promotion of Irish arts worldwide; public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the Mayor’s Office and the New York City Council; the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature; Howard Gilman Foundation; Tourism Ireland; the Jerome L. Greene Foundation; the Adrian Brinkerhoff Poetry Foundation; the Charina Endowment Fund; the Ireland Funds; the Shubert Foundation, Inc.; the Arnhold Foundation; the Fan Fox & Leslie R. Samuels Foundation; the Irish Institute of New York; the Society of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick, New York; Northern Ireland Bureau; Invest NI; CIE Tours; M&T Bank; the Dead Rabbit; the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Consulate of Ireland in New York; and thousands of generous donors like you.

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