The Rustbelt Poetry Festival Returns To Detroit
Event organizer and local poet Tariq Luthun previews the festival.
Detroit’s literary arts scene is one that has been grown and cultivated with real investment since Detroit’s resurgence began a few years ago.
Poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction all play a vital and interesting role in Detroit’s artistic life as the city has always had a need to tell its own stories.
During the first weekend of June there will be another facet to that multidimensional story told here, with a poetry festival and workshop organized by local poet Tariq Luthun.
The Rustbelt Poetry Festival will feature roughly 100 poets from across the country, many of whom have a variety of accolades, from National Book Award finalists to Emmy Award winners and beyond.
Luthun previews the poetry Festival on Detroit Today with Stephen Henderson.
Luthun says the event first started as poetry slam tournament that was hosted throughout the Midwest.
“What we really wanted to do was…create a program that built around that tournament and offered a book fair as well as workshops,” he says.
“That way we’re not just having a thing that comes into the city and leaves, but really invest itself in the city.”
Click on the audio player above to hear more about Rustbelt Poetry Festival.
