Luminaria isn’t just about visual arts, dance, theater, and media arts, y’know. San Anto has a fine selection of literary artists, too. In fact, quite a few well-known and budding local writers will be out in full force throughout Luminaria.
A few weeks ago we spoke to Marian Aitches, one of Luminaria’s literary arts artist chairs.
Aitches, a poet, expressed her excitement about helping put the literary arts side of Luminaria together. One of the standouts of the literary lineup is Writers Light Up the Night, a reading featuring
Bryce Mulligan,
Carmen Tafolla,
Barbara Ras,
Naomi Shihab Nye, and with the
Express-News’ Cary Clack as master of ceremonies.
“It is very rare for Carmen Tafolla, Bryce Mulligan, and others to be on one stage,” Aitches said. “For people interested in literary arts this is a big deal.”
Aitches couldn’t stress enough how important the above writers are not only in San Antonio, but nationally and internationally. Mulligan runs the San Antonio-operated
Wings Press, which was recently profiled in the
Huffington Post. Tafolla, who Aitches said is in her opinion, the “Mother of Chicano Literature,” received the American Award for Children’s and Young Adult Literary last year for her work
What can you do with a Paleta / Qué puedes hacer con una paleta? (Tricycle Press, 2009). Last year Nye was recently elected a
Chancellor of the Academy of American Poets.
Emerging wordsmiths such as Andrea Sanderson (AKA Vocab) will be performing poetry slam throughout the evening, as well as readings featuring visiting writers Poetas del Valle, as well. Gemini Ink will once again be doing Libro Libre, in which they’ll be giving out free books throughout the evening. (Full Disclosure: This Lit-URL blogger will be volunteering with the
Gemini Ink crew, and passing out books.). Jim LaVilla-Havelin, who is behind San Antonio’s National Poetry Month happenings, is giving the city a little taste of next month’s poetry festivities with Poetry on the Move, which will feature poets reading their work in a poetry-adorned VIA bus.
As Aitches states, this year Luminaria will feature a much “friendlier footprint.” One in which features artists of all disciplines “committed to diversity and quality.”
“We encourage people to come out,” Aitches said. “I think people will be surprised.”
For more information about Luminaria, read Scott Andrews'
write up, or just visit
luminariasa.org (download a PDF map
here).
- Jennifer Herrera
Got any local literary leads? Suggestions for book reviews? Working on a super cool, top secret zine? Send your ideas our way, via e-mail [email protected], or Twitter, follow us at @jennherrera and @aynrandom.
Where and when to find literary arts happenings during Luminaria:
7-8pm - Andrea Sanderson
(In the Casitas that line HemisFair Park – Literary-House D)
7-8pm – Kamala Platt/ Poetas del Valle del Rio Grande Bravo
(In the Casitas that line HemisFair Park – Literary-House D)
7-10pm - Poema del Pueblo
(In the Casitas that line HemisFair Park – Literary-House D)
10-11pm – Poema del Pueblo
(In the Casitas that line HemisFair Park – Literary-House D)
8-10pm - San Antonio Writers Blk
(In the Casitas that line HemisFair Park – Literary-House)
8:05-9:30pm - Writers Light Up the Night
Instituto Cultural de Mexico Stage
Featuring Cary Clack, Bryce Mulligan, Carmen Tafolla, Barbara Ras, Naomi Shihab Nye
Gemini Ink – Libro Libre – Book Giveaway
all-night – Orange Zone Artists
VIA: Poetry on the Move/National Poetry Month 2011
all-night – Orange Zone Artists
