Kentucky Black Writers Collaborative Archive
An archive of past KBWC events.
Past KBWC Events
Pages Full of Rhymes
Join us on Saturday, February 24, 2024 from 8-10 PM for an exciting evening poetry, music, and live art. Emmy Award-winning hip hop artist and activist, Devine Carama, is celebrating his 20th professional artist anniversary with the release of his first published book entitled, Pages Full of Rhymes. Learn more.
Burn The Mic: Katerina Stoykova
Come Burn The Mic with us on February 15, 2024. Sign ups start at 6:30 PM and open mic kicks off at 7:00 PM. After the open mic portion, our featured speaker Katerina Stoykova will read from her new book BETWEEN A BIRD CAGE AND A BIRD HOUSE POEMS. Learn more.
Winter Open Mic
Join us on December 21, 2023 at the Carnegie Center for Burn The Mic. Sign ups start at 6:30PM. Open mic kicks off at 7PM.
Burn The Mic: Poem-tober
Join us on October 19, 2023 at the Carnegie Center for Burn The Mic. Sign ups start at 6:30PM. Open mic kicks off at 7PM.
Women of Valor, Women of Faith
Join us on Saturday, September 23 at 6:00PM for one night of six powerful voices. The Kentucky Black Writers Collaborative and St. Peter Claver Catholic Church will elevate and amplify the words women of faith, featuring readings by Eugenia Johnson Smith, Angela Allen Johnson, Cynthia Allen Shelby, Nita B. Clarke, Charliese Brown Lewis, and Claudia Love Mair. The performance will take place at St. Peter Claver's new sanctuary located at 485 W. 4th St., Lexington, KY 40508.
Burn The Mic: Samar Johnson
Join us on September 21, 2023 at the Carnegie Center for Burn The Mic. Sign ups start at 6:30PM. Open mic kicks off at 7PM. Featured Speaker, Samar Johnson, will perform at 7:30PM.
Burn The Mic: Young Voices
Join us on August 17, 2023 at the Carnegie Center for Burn The Mic. Sign ups start at 6:30PM. Open mic kicks off at 7PM.
Say It Loud: Stand Up
The Kentucky Black Writers Collaborative and 91.3 WUKY present the fourth installment of the Kentucky Black Writers Series, SAY IT LOUD: STAND UP. This recurring live event and discussion is designed to showcase both prominent and emerging Black writers of the Commonwealth. Learn more.
Queer Literary Hoedown
Join us at the Queer Literary Hoedown on Friday, July 28, 2023, 7PM to 10PM. This is an opportunity to resist efforts to suppress the many, powerful voices of LGBTQTIA+ Kentucky writers and celebrate their work. Learn More.
Burn The Mic: Fly July
Join us on July 20, 2023 at the Carnegie Center for Burn The Mic. Open mic kicks off at 7PM and the Featured Speaker, Angelica Miller, will perform at 7:30PM.
Juneteenth Open Mic & Slam
Join us on June 15, 2023 at the Carnegie Center for our Juneteenth Open Mic & Slam. Open mic kicks off at 7:00PM and the Slam will immediately follow. Sign ups start at 6:30PM. $1,000 in prizes. Book giveaways. Learn More.
Burn The Mic: May Flowers
Join us on May 18, 2023 at the Carnegie Center for Burn The Mic. Open mic kicks off at 7PM and the Featured Speaker, Bernard Clay, will perform at 7:30PM.
Say It Loud: A Song for Mama
The Kentucky Black Writers Collaborative and 91.3 WUKY present the fourth installment of the Kentucky Black Writers Series, SAY IT LOUD: A SONG FOR MAMA. This recurring live event and discussion is designed to showcase both prominent and emerging Black writers of the Commonwealth. Learn more.
Burn The Mic:
No Foolin'
Join us on April 21, 2023 at the Carnegie Center for Burn The Mic. Sign ups start at 6:30PM. Open mic kicks off at 7PM.
Burn The Mic: March Madness
Join us on March 13, 2023 at the Carnegie Center for Burn The Mic. Open mic kicks off at 7PM and the Featured Speaker, Eric Scott Sutherland, will perform at 7:30PM.
Say It Loud: Black & Proud
The Kentucky Black Writers Collaborative and 91.3 WUKY present the third installment of the Kentucky Black Writers Series, SAY IT LOUD: BLACK & PROUD. This recurring live event and discussion is designed to showcase both prominent and emerging Black writers of the Commonwealth. Learn more.
Burn The Mic: New Year, New Poems
Join us on January 27, 2023 at the Carnegie Center for Burn The Mic. Open mic kicks off at 7PM and the Featured Speaker, Shayla Lawson, will perform at 7:30PM.
Burn The Mic:
Happy Holidays
Join us on December 21, 2022 at the Carnegie Center for Burn The Mic. Open mic kicks off at 7pm.
Say It Loud 2.0: Louder & Prouder
On November 11, 2022, the KBWC and 91.3 WUKY present the second installment of the Kentucky Black Writers Series, SAY IT LOUD 2.0: LOUDER & PROUDER. Learn More.
Burn The Mic: Black Joy
Join us on February 16, 2023 at the Carnegie Center for Burn The Mic. Sign ups start at 6:30PM. Open Mic kicks off at 7PM. This event is free and open to the public.
Burn The Mic:
Give Thanks
Join us on November 11, 2022 at the Carnegie Center for Burn The Mic. Open mic kicks off at 7PM and the Featured Speaker, Tina Andry, will perform at 7:30PM.
Burn The Mic: Halloween
Join us on October 25, 2022 at the Carnegie Center for Burn The Mic. Open mic kicks off at 7PM and the Featured Speaker, Ronald Davis, will perform at 7:30PM. upfromsumdirt is a poet, visual artist, and designer based in Lexington, KY.
Burn The Mic: End of Summer Slam
Join us on September 2, 2022 at the Carnegie Center for Burn The Mic: End of Summer Slam. Open mic kicks off at 6pm and the Slam will follow soon after. Cash prizes will be awarded to the top 3 performers.
Burn The Mic
Join us on August 18, 2022 at the Carnegie Center for Burn The Mic, featuring LeTonia Jones. Open mic kicks off at 7pm and the featured artist will speak at 7:45pm. LeTonia A. Jones, MSW, is a death penalty abolitionist, activist, educator, writer, writing facilitator, and newspaper columnist. This fall, she will be co-leading "A Writing Circle for BIPOC Womxn" at the Carnegie Center.
Juneteenth Slam
Join us on June 18, 2022 at the Carnegie Center for our first-ever Juneteenth Slam presented by the Kentucky Black Writers Collaborative and Brown Owl. Open mic kicks off at 6 pm and the slam will immediately follow. You can win prizes!
At the Clearing
We gather to grieve. We gather to witness. We gather to remember. On March 12, 2022, please join us at the Carnegie Center for Literacy & Learning to unveil the latest work by Kiptoo Tarus, inspired by the murder of Breonna Taylor and in support of the Kentucky Black Writers Collaborative (KBWC).
