Houston's First Friday Poetry Reading Series RETURNS!

The First Friday Reading Series is back! Houston’s oldest poetry reading series, founded and tirelessly hosted by Robert Clark for 45 years, relaunches April 7th at InPrint House. In keeping with Robert’s vision, the event format remains the same. Following a distinguished featured reader each month, the First Friday reading event will host an array of talented and passionate poets in an open mic format. Many of Houston's working poets come to First Fridays to share a sampling of their best current works and listening attentively well into the night. Frequently these monthly gatherings leave standing room only in the Montrose area venue of InPrint House. April’s re-inaugural reading will feature poet-activist Marlon Lizama, author of My Spanglish Hip Hop Story.

Before being sidelined by the 2020 global shutdown, this Houston institution presented a monthly celebration of the crafted word, without interruption, for 45 years! Inspired by Robert Clark's example, a network of over 20 poets and First Friday regulars this past winter determined to pick up the baton and carry on the First Friday tradition. Over several Zoom sessions they selected a panel of four organizers to invite the featured guest poets and emcee the monthly meetings for the 2023-24 poetry season. This panel of four hosts includes:

• Angelique Jamail

• Chris Wise

• Kelly Anne Ellis

• Yolanda Movsessian

None this would be possible without the dedicated support and sponsorship of InPrint, Houston's premier literary arts nonprofit organization. InPrint has provided a performance space for First Fridays since 2005. First Fridays began in 1975 when a dedicated band of poets determined to cultivate the written and spoken word in a community that promoted a love of art, literature, and aesthetic appreciation. April’s event organizer, Chris Wise, states, "First Fridays has always bridged the gap between street poets and academic poets, between the beats and the elites."

"The collection of word artists who come to First Fridays range from unpublished to widely published," organizer Chris Wise continues, "and they use this monthly gathering to share their poems, learn of publishing opportunities, organize critique groups, and otherwise network to improve their dedication to the crafted word."

First Fridays will continue to meet for the foreseeable future on the First Friday of each month, with an open commitment from InPrint to host this monthly fun, yet distinguished, gathering of Houston’s most dedicates muse-chasers.

Host or Publisher Chris Wise