The Crossing Arts Alliance will host Poetry on the Wall 2015 Reading and Reception featuring the poetry of twenty-one selected regional poets and a presentation by award-winning author Norita Dittberner-Jax, Saturday, February 21 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Franklin Art Center Auditorium, 1001 Kingwood Street Brainerd. Selected poems will be read and a people’s choice and top three poems will be awarded. The event is free and open to the public.

An exhibit of the poetry will be on display in the Crossing Arts Gallery, located at the Franklin Arts Center from February 21 through March 6, Tuesday through Friday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.  The exhibit features over fifty poems by twenty-one poets that reside in Region Five. A booklet of the selected poetry is available for purchase. 

 Featured poets include David Anderson, Carol Campbell, Kate Carlson, Charmaine Donovan, John Erickson, Laura Hansen, Joan Hasskamp, Charles Johnson, Jerry Kester, Cheryl Koll, Kathy Krueger, Carissa Meyers, Pat Mortenson, Patricia Nelsen, Sue Ready, Donna Salli, Orphie Anderson Shellum, Candace Simar, Susan Smith-Grier, Doris Stengel, and Bonnie Tinnes. The project, under the artistic direction of Krista Soukup of Blue Cottage Agency and Lisa Jordan Executive Director of The Crossing Arts Alliance, was made possible through a grant from the Five Wings Arts Council.  

Norita Dittberner-Jax, Poetry on the Wall 2015 judge, is an award-winning poet and essayist whose work has been widely published in several books and anthologies.  She holds an MFA from Hamline University’s Creative Writing Program. Her teaching credits include the Writers-in-the-Schools Program and the Perpich Center.  She has also served as the Arts Literacy Consultant for the Saint Paul Public Schools. 

This activity is funded, in part, by the voters of Minnesota through grants from the Five Wings Arts Council, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund; and grants from Sertoma Winter Wonderland, Brainerd Service League, Mid Minnesota Federal Credit Union, and the Anderson Family Legacy Fund.

For information visit www.crossingarts.org or call 218-833-0416.