No one could have guessed that one day Buffalo monolithic silos would be equated with… reading. Thanks to the efforts of Just Buffalo Literary Center, that day is now upon us. In a few short weeks, the silos will come alive with the sounds of voices, speaking words in the form of poetry and music, with a little art thrown in. It’s all part of the Silo City Reading Series, which is now celebrating its tenth year as a cultural institution in Buffalo. To mark the milestone, 2022 will feature renowned orators – headlined by poet Richie Hofmann, author of “A Hundred Lovers” (Alfred A. Knopf, 2022) – whose words will fill Marine A, a 130-foot high abandoned grain silo on the bank of the Buffalo River.
“This series started as a book release party for a local poet, and grew into a celebration of all the cultural communities of Western New York in the most magical venue in America,” said Noah Falck, series curator and Education Director of Just Buffalo Literary Center. “We are thrilled to be celebrating 10 years with such a dynamic, incredible lineup of artists.”
The three-event season begins June 11 with Hofmann, poet Albert Abonado, contemporary violinist Yuki Numata Resnick, and photographer Pat Cray.
SILO CITY READING SERIES: RICHIE HOFMANN, ALBERT ABONADO, YUKI NUMATA RESNICK, PAT CRAY
The tenth season of the Silo City Reading Series, a multi-genre celebration of poetry, music and art held in kicks off June 11 with an event Tickets for the June 11 event, offered on a sliding scale, are now available at justbuffalo.org.
Join us for the season kickoff of the 2022 SILO CITY READING SERIES featuring poetry from Richie Hofmann & Albert Abonado, a musical performance by Yuki Numata Resnick, and an installation by Pat Cray.
Doors at 7:00 p.m. | Reading begins at 7:30 p.m.
Books available for purchase from Fitz Books online and at the event.
Advance tickets required
Capacity is limited to 75 attendees
CDC and NY State guidelines will be followed
Click here for further details.
On July 30, poet Victoria Chang, editor of the New York Times Magazine’s poetry column and author, most recently, of “The Trees Witness Everything,” will be joined by poet Joe Hall, musician Lizzi Bougatsos, and artist Dara Friedman; Bougatsos and Friedman’s performances are presented in collaboration with the UB Arts Collaboratory.
On Aug. 27, Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Jericho Brown will perform with the soon-to-be-announced winner of the 2022 JBLC Poetry Fellowship, musician Florist, and installation artist Johann Diedrick, presented in collaboration with Squeaky Wheel Film & Media Arts Center.
Silo City Reading Series events take place in Marine A, behind Duende at Silo City, 85 Silo City Row. Doors open at 7:00 p.m. and the events begin at 7:30 p.m. Capacity is limited and advance tickets are required. Books by featured poets in the series, as well as a limited edition anthology of poems by past Silo City Reading Series poets over the past decade, will be available for purchase on-site by Buffalo bookseller Fitz Books.
Sliding-scale tickets for the July 30 event will be available starting June 13 at 10:00 a.m. on Just Buffalo’s website, justbuffalo.org. Tickets for the Aug. 27 event will be available starting Aug. 1 at 10:00 a.m. For more information about the Silo City Reading Series and this summer’s featured poets, musicians and artists, visit justbuffalo.org.
Support for the Silo City Reading Series is provided by the Cullen Foundation, Rich Products Corporation, the New York State Council for the Arts, and Erie County Cultural Funding.