Just Buffalo Literary Center (JBLC) is embarking upon another set of events that are designed to get Buffalonians writing, reading and expressing themselves in creative and different ways.
First, the organization has re-introduced its soapbox series that literally positions writers atop platforms in order to elevate their spirits, their minds, their vocals, their courage, and their overall presence.
It’s amazing what standing on a pulpit will do to boost the enthusiasm of a writer/poet who is engaging a random roaming audience. “We want to give these young writers a chance to perform their work to a variety of audiences,” said poet, writer and literacy activist Noah Falck. “And the soapbox is a sort of guerrilla way of doing this, of invading the city with poems. It also gives us a chance to spread the word about what we do at Just Buffalo Literary Center.”
Next up for JBLC is the final Silo City Reading, scheduled to take place this Saturday, August 13 at 7:30pm. The entire community is welcome to come down to listen to poet Ocean Vuong who is coming in from NYC (originally from Vietnam). The New Yorker recently ran a feature on Vuong, which can be found here. The reading series will also feature Sherry Robbins, Space Cubs, & Projex (see Facebook event).
Ocean Vuong is a 2016 Whiting Award winner, a 2014 Ruth Lilly fellow, Ocean has received honors and awards from Poets House, the Elizabeth George Foundation, the Civitella Ranieri Foundation, the Saltonstall Foundation for the Arts, the Academy of American Poets, and a 2014 Pushcart Prize.
Sherry Robbins has a Masters in the poetics of ecstasy and two books of poetry, Snapshots of Paradise and Or, the Whale. Sherry ran her own letterpress for years, is a certified yoga teacher, and a multi-year panelist for the NEA’s Art Works program.
Space Cubs is producer Suzanne Bonifacio. Space Cubs will be performing a special acoustic performance in the Marine A silo.
Projex is an installation artist, VJ, DJ and projectionist from Buffalo, New York. Going beyond the digital screen, Projex combines more than ten years of electronic music experience with elements of video, music, projection and art. Using light mapping technology, Projex blurs the lines between audio and visual.
Images: Roosevelt Plaza during lunch hour and food truck Thursday lunch at Niagara Square