Ohio Poetry Association Blog

The OPA team is excited to report that for a fifth consecutive year, OPA has been awarded a grant from The Columbus Foundation (TCF) through its Community Arts Fund. This year’s award totals $1,826, which exceeds expectations by the OPA officers. "Once again The Columbus Foundations has acknowledged the value of OPA to poets and artists throughout Ohio," said OPA President Chuck Salmons. "The Community Arts Fund has provided OPA with sustaining funds to help cover administrative costs so that our members’ annual dues and other revenue sources can be directed into workshops, readings, and other great opportunities." The OPA first established a profile with TCF in 2010. The profile, part of the TCF PowerPhilanthropy program, is an effort to improve OPA’s ability to secure funding via charitable giving. Since that time, the OPA officers have steadfastly sought other avenues of fundraising. Those interested in donating to OPA may do so via the TCF PowerPhilanthrop...

As another year comes to an end, we reflect on events of the past twelve months but also on the year to come. And OPA has an exciting year of programming planned for 2016. Our quarterly workshops will cover a wide range of poetry styles and topics. Becca Lachman will work with attendees to explore how poetry plays a role in our pursuit of peace, community, and social justice. And renowned artists John and Cathy Bennett will lead an exploration of the avant garde. We also have a great slate of special events lined up. In February, we’ll continue our series of ekphrastic poetry workshops at the Toledo Museum with Cindy Bosley. And in the mid-June, riding the tide of a successful reading this past September, you can join OPA as it takes part in the Summer Solstice Celebration at Serpent Mound in Adams County, where we’ll again feature some of Ohio’s top poets and honor voices of the past. Our writers’ retreats at Malabar Farm will feature two respected poets and educat...