Ventura/Santa Barbara Poetry Events

March 2010

By Phil Taggart

sum wrrds

Lettre Sauvage has a new chapbook contest.

The Santa Barbara Poetry Series celebrates April National Poetry Month by honoring poets who have published a book in the previous year, 2009-2010. The reading and book sale, a free event, will be on April 3, at Faulkner Gallery in the downtown SB public library, 7 pm-9 pm. Please contact Carol DeCanio, decanio3@netzero.net, if you and your book would like to be a part of this reading.

the “Art Tales” poetry & short story writing contest entries are due March 15. The City of Ventura, in partnership with E.P. Foster Library, is pleased to announce the second annual “Art Tales” creative writing contest. For application requirements and guidelines for this free contest, visit the City website at www.cityofventura.net/ArtTales.

And the Valley Contemporary Poets celebrate 30 years... see below.

Readings

Chaucer Book Store

7pm
3321 State Street, Santa Barbara
Info: 682-6787
March 25: Cecelia Woloch will read from her new book Carpathia, joined by Perie Longo

5 x 5 x 5

Every First Friday
Sylvia White Gallery 8pm
1783 East Main Street, Ventura
5 x 5 x 5 is an evening of 5 artists, 5 performances, 5 minutes each.
March 5: gauvin, with Robert Catalusci, Justine Sutton, Misa Kelly and John White

Arcade Poetry Series

Carnegie Art Museum
424 South ‘C’ Street, Oxnard
Host: Jackson Wheeler
All readings start at 7pm
March 20: John Struloeff and Thea Iberall

Bell Arts Factory (friday on Saturday)

Last Saturday of the month at 7:30pm
432 N. Ventura Avenue, Ventura
Host: friday
March 27: Joan Day

Artists’ Union Gallery

Every Tuesday at 7:30 pm
Artists’ Union Gallery
330 South California Street, Ventura
Host: Roe Estep, (805)320-3524
Open-mic
March 9: Jerris

Also at Artists’ Union Gallery

March 6 at 7 pm
The Erotic Reading Invitational
Hosts: Marsha de la O, Phil Taggart, friday Lubina

The Poetry Zone

Second Saturday, 2–4 pm
Karpeles Manuscript Museum
21 W. Anapamu, Santa Barbara
Host: Suzanne Frost (805-252-1655)
March 13: Pete Justus7

Train of Thought

Every Thursday at 6:30 pm
856 East Thompson Blvd., Ventura
(between Ash and Kalorama, behind Kids and Families Together)
Open mic

Favorite Poems Project

Third Monday from 5:15 – 6:30
The Blue Agave
20 E. Cota, Santa Barbara
Host: Lois Klein
Open mic: All poets and non-poets invited to read a favorite poem (not their own) or two.
March 15

Friday Night AA Meeting followed by Open Mic

Every Friday at 6:30
A drug- and alcohol-free open mic
896 East Main Street, Ventura
805-794-9878
www.aplaceofpeace.org

VALLEY CONTEMPORARY POETS 30TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

March 21, 2010
1 pm to 5 pm
Tarzana Community and Cultural Center
19130 Ventura Blvd. Tarzana, CA 91356

1:00 PM PANEL DISCUSSION
“Needle in a Haystack: How to Stand Out in the Slush Pile”
Every literary journal possesses a particular vision of what that publication represents and how it should read and communicate. A submitting poet must recognize a literary editor’s unique vision and standards. How does one intuit taste? Can one create taste in an editor already bleary-eyed and bored from reading hundreds of submissions? How can your writing wake-up and seduce, even startle, the battle-fatigued literary editor? Learn what it takes to stand out so that you can begin or successfully continue to place your poetry in fine literary homes in print or on line!

Moderator: Keven Bellows
Panelists: Marsha de la O & Phil Taggart ASKEW
Timothy Green RATTLE
Mifanwy Kaiser SPILLWAY
Bart Edelman ECLIPSE

2:00 PM BOOK SALE AND SIGNING
(portion of proceeds go to VCP)
Celebration, Snacks and Mingle

3:00 PM NAN HUNT & FRIENDS
The Founder of the Valley Contemporary Poets Reads Poetry with Past Directors: Mary Armstrong, Brendan Constantine, Elizabeth Iannaci Rick Lupert, Sherman Pearl, Jackie Tchakalian, and more…..

$10.00 Suggested Donation
info: vcpoets@pacbell.net

On the Radio

KPFK - Poets Corner
Second and fourth Wednesdays of the month, noon-1:00
Santa Barbara 98.7 FM, LA 90.7 FM
Host: Lois P. Jones

Poetry Workshops, Classes and Panels

Ventura County Writers Club

Third Wednesday
For information, email Cathryn Andresen, barn93012@yahoo.com

Poemcrafters Guild

For more information send bio and sample of work to:
807 Camino Concordia, Camarillo 93010
(805) 491-3242

Barnes and Noble - Ventura

Second and fourth Wednesdays, 7-9 pm

In Print

Journals

Askew (Fall/Winter) #7
Ron Alexander, Richard Beban, Tree Bernstein, Child M, Kevin Clark, Jeanette Clough, Brendan Constantine, Carol DeCanio, David Dominguez, John M. FitzGerald, Dorothea Grossman, Michael Faran, Robert Hedin, Joyce LaMers, Marie Lecrivain, Gabrielle LeMay, Gerald Locklin, Michael McLaughlin, Adrianne Marcus, Enid Osborn, Claire Rawlins, Mary Kay Rummel, Dixie Salazar, F. Albert Salinas, J de Salvo, Emily Elizabeth Schulten, Patty Seyburn, Barry Spacks, Lynne Thompson, Carine Topal, Amy Uyematsu, Doris Vernon, Jan Wesley, Paul Willis, Pamela S. Wynn, Robert Wynne, Robert M. Zoschke

Editors: Marsha de la O and Phil Taggart
P.O. Box 559 Ventura 93002 ptagga@aol.com

Beyond Baroque in Venice is now carrying Askew #2, #3, #4, #5, #6
631 Venice Boulevard - Venice
Askew is also available at:
Bank of Books 748 Main Street - Ventura

Books, Etc.

Polly Bee's book, Scattershot, is out and published by BosieBooks.
Joyce LaMers chapbook, Uncertain Slants of Light, is out.
Sojourner Kinkaid-Rolle's Black Street, is out on UCSB Press.
Mary Kay Rummel's Love In the End, is out on Bright Hill Press.
Barry Spack's Food for the Journey, is out on Cherry Grove Press.
Kim Young's Divided Highway, published by Dancing Girl Press.
Paul Willis' Visiting Home, published by Pecan Grove Press.
Carol DeCanio's broadside, Shelter, and accordion book, Giants, published by Lettre Sauvage.
Lois Klein’s A Soldier’s Daughter, published by Turning Point Press.
Quintessence, An Anthology, published by VCWC Press. Included are: Lori Anaya, Cathryn Andresen, Kathleen Auth, Diana Blackburn, Michael Faran, Melissa Grossman, Joyce LaMers, Phil Taggart, Doris Vernon, Maggie Westland, Dallas Woodburn.

Presses and Journals

Lettre Sauvage

Signed and numbered limited editions
Broadsides by Anne Carson, Steven Dunn
Community Studio - Learn about letterpress and book arts in a creative, fine art publishing center; lessons, workshops and studio rental available beneath the oaks in Santa Paula. info@lettresauvage.com, 805.794.0167

TreeHouse Press

Limited edition books of poetry
Home of the Rowsby Woof Memorial Broadside Award
treebernstein@gmail.com

Hex Presse

Womb Poetry

Editor: Michelle Detorie

More Poetry Information

Poetry Matters in Santa Barbara Poetry
www.venturaartistsunion.org
Language of the Soul
Askew Poetry Journal
www.myspace.com/askewpoetryjournal
www.youtube.com/askewpoetryjournal
www.poetix.net