By Kara L.C. Jones

Every once in a while you find an amazing treasure that's been right under your nose all along-- not even a buried treasure, but one that's right out in the open. That's pretty much the story with my discovery of Seattle Arts and Lectures.

One evening I was looking for a particular Sharon Olds poem and decided to look online for the piece. My search brought up a listing for Sharon's appearance in Seattle-- a last minute fill in for Louise Gliuck who'd been unable to read. I live in Seattle, folks! I have followed Sharon Olds since Satan Says was released ages ago! I could not believe my eyes. But a quick call to Seattle Arts and Lectures (SAL) Box Office and sure enough two tickets were available and on their way to my hot little hands! Only $14 -- you can't get performance, talent, and soul like Sharon Olds anywhere, let alone for such a reasonable price where your money supports a cool org like SAL!!!

Upon arrival at the Olds reading, I discovered the whole world of SAL and all they offer. They've got a Poetry Series, a Lecture Series, a Writers in the Schools program, a Teachers as Scholars program, and so many affiliations with other fabulous poetry resources like the Open Books: A Poem Emporium store that is so hip here in Seattle.

Learning about this great treasure is just too much for me. I can't keep it to myself. I had to let you know about SAL. Check them out today. Find out about the student poetry anthologies they print in association with the Writers In The Schools program. Kids from middle to high school have some of their first opportunities to get published in these books and to participate in readings held at the Richard Hugo House just for them. We are going to come into a stunningly talented generation of writers because they had this kind of support when they were in school!

If you are interested in furthering your own exposure and education about literature, art, and film, you have got to find out about SAL's Wednesday University program. This past season, they gave us the opportunity to discover Baroque Personae, Greek Myth in Art and Culture, Silent Cinema and Modern Culture. And if you are teacher trying to bring more to your classroom, you have to discover the Teachers as Scholar: Seminars in the Humanities for K-12 Teachers.

I recently had the chance to speak with Polly Hunter, SAL's Marketing Director, and she was happy to share the schedule with us for next season's Literary Series. They don't have their Poetry Series line-up released yet, but you can be sure I'll get that to you as soon as I get it in hand! In the meantime, get your tickets for the Literary Series:

 

October 3, 2001
Stephen Jay Gould
October 30, 2001
Edward Albee
November 27, 2001
Edna O'Brien
January 15, 2002
Writers on Writers
February 4, 2002
Anchee Min
March 4, 2002
J.M. Coetzee

 

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