|
April 4, 2019 Poetry Center Hosts Cyclovia Activity Hub
|
|
TUCSON, Ariz. — The popular event Cyclovia Tucson will pass through the University of Arizona campus Sunday. In celebration of National Poetry Month, the UA Poetry Center aims to get all 40,000 expected attendees to interact with a poem in some way. Cyclovia, a program of Living Streets Alliance, is a biannual event that temporarily transforms a network of streets ─ the largest source of public space ─ into a linear park by removing cars and inviting thousands of people to explore the city on foot, bicycle, in strollers or wheelchairs. This edition of Cyclovia begins at Banner – University Medical Center, passes by the UA Poetry Center and continues west and south to downtown Tucson. With an $8,000 grant from Arizona Humanities, the Living Streets Alliance is adding a literary component for the first time. Activities will include live poetry readings, audio recordings of poetry in different languages, poetry stations where poets can work alongside members of the public to create poetry, live screen-printing of poems onto ready-to-wear clothing, chalked poetry and printed poems distributed by Poetry Center docents. "We're excited to share the experience of poetry with such a large and engaged community audience," said Tyler Meier, executive director of the UA Poetry Center. "Surveys show poetry reading is on the rise, especially among younger people, and we want people to explore the rich resources here at the Poetry Center and join us again at future readings and events." The Poetry Center Library will have an open house throughout Cyclovia, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Kids activities will be centered in the Rubel Room, with vintage typewriters, a quiet corner for reading time and a writing station that will explore poet Nikki Giovanni's line "Bicycles: because love requires trust and balance." Participants will explore why they love bicycles, with a chance to use their writing to decorate the spokes of their bike. The Hillman Odeum outdoor amphitheater will host activities throughout the day:
Other activities include: The Hall of Giants: Tour the roadways immediately adjacent to the Poetry Center to discover 10 poets and one of their poems, each with a history connected to Tucson and the Poetry Center. The Emily Dickinson photobooth and gingerbread tasting: Enjoy the Emily Dickinson photo booth and sample her gingerbread recipe at 11 a.m. (while supplies last). Silk-screen print your own poems with CREAM printing: Come print a poem by T.C. Tolbert, Tucson's Poet Laureate, or Tucson poet Ofelia Zepeda at the silk-screen station. Or make your own poem from pre-selected heat-transfer words and print them on a T-shirt. Free T-shirts while supplies last, or bring your own favorite shirt or bag. Letterpress printing stations: Explore letterpress printing with the Jack Sinclair Letterpress Studio from the UA School of Art, with demonstrations on three presses. Write your own Bike-ku: There will be a bicycle-themed haiku creation station along the Cyclovia route. ### |
| Media contact: Eric Swedlund UA College of Humanities 520-626-7160 ericswedlund@email.arizona.edu |
| Established in 1885, the University of Arizona, the state's super land-grant university with two medical schools, produces graduates who are real-world ready through its 100% Engagement initiative. Recognized as a global leader and ranked 16th for the employability of its graduates, the UA is also a leader in research, bringing more than $606 million in research investment each year, and ranking 21st among all public universities. The UA is advancing the frontiers of interdisciplinary scholarship and entrepreneurial partnerships, and is a member of the Association of American Universities, the 62 leading public and private research universities. It benefits the state with an estimated economic impact of $8.3 billion annually. |
