Writing In Nature with Lisa Huffaker
2025-11-08 09:00 - 12:00 (America/Chicago) | Twelve Hills Nature Center, 817 Mary Cliff Rd., Dallas, TX, 75208, United States
Fall is an endlessly evocative time, a season ripe with inspiration for poetry, essays, and stories. Join Teaching Artist in residence Lisa Huffaker for a nature walk of observation, reflection and sensory experience, then return to The Garret to write and share your experiences with the group.
Note: Writing In Nature will include moving through areas that are sometimes minimally affected by the conditions of the weather, and uneven surfaces. The walk and workshop will take place rain or shine (severe weather excluded).
Lisa Huffaker creates poetry, collage, and assemblage. A finalist for Dallas’ Poet Laureate, she is a frequent visiting artist at the Nasher Sculpture Center, a recent C3 Visiting Artist at the Dallas Museum of Art, and creator of White Rock Zine Machine, a micropublishing project offering artist’s books through sculptural vending machines. Her poetry appears or is forthcoming in 32 Poems, Diode, Spillway, THRUSH, Tupelo Quarterly, and elsewhere. Her multimedia installation, Code Room, is currently on view at Ro2 Art. Her book in progress, a collage/erasure transformation of an antifeminist marriage manual written in 1963, was recently featured at TU Delft and Cornell Tech’s 3rd Workshop on Obfuscation.

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e. e. cummings: A Guided Conversation with Gregg Thompson
2025-11-08 14:00 - 16:00 | The Writer’s Garret, 215 S. Tyler St., Dallas, TX, 75208, United States
One of the most recognizable and well-loved poets of the 20th century, e. e. cummings wrote nearly 2900 poems through his life. From his experiments with form to his more accessible and cherished love poems, his work helped drive the modernist movement in American poetry. Join us for an afternoon of reading and discussing cummings’ work, lead by Garret regular Gregg Thompson.
Gregg Thompson makes his living as a real estate investor, having previously worked in investment banking and the printing industry. He has a BA in History from one land grant college and MAs in Literature and Philosophy. He writes poetry, some of which has been published, and has been engaged with The Writer’s Garret in one capacity or other over several years. Gregg is a father of three grown children.

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LitTalk: Marcela Fuentes
2025-11-11 19:00 - 20:30 | The Wild Detectives, 314 W 8th St, Dallas, TX, 75208, United States
Created in 2019 by Alex Temblador as a way to highlight DFW-based authors, LitTalk has provided a platform for over two dozen writers to share their insights into the craft, business and inspiration of their work. Now, after a short hiatus, LitTalk is back, and we’re so excited to welcome Lauren Brazeal Garza as Alex’s co-host for the series!

Joining the Talk in November is Marcela Fuentes, a newly minted American Book Award winner for her debut novel Malas. Come hear from Fuentes about her creative process and experiences since the novel’s publication, plus we’ll also have time for a few questions. We can’t wait to see you for the return of LitTalk!

Marcela Fuentes is an award-winning fiction writer and essayist. Her debut novel, Malas, was a Good Morning America Book Club pick for June 2024. Malas won the Texas institute of Letters First Novel Prize, the Wrangler Award for Outstanding Western Novel, the Willa Cather Award for Contemporary Fiction, and an American Book Award. Other honors include Southwest Book of the Year, Writers League of Texas Book Award finalist, shortlisted for the Mark Twain American Voice in Literature Prize, and longlisted for the Center for Fiction’s First Novel Prize. Her second book, My Heart Has More Rooms than a Whorehouse, is forthcoming from Viking Books. She is an Associate Professor at Texas Christian University. She lives in Fort Worth with her two German Shepherds, Francisco and Dolly.

Alex Temblador is the Mixed Latine award-winning author of Writing An Identity Not Your Own, Secrets of the Casa Rosada and Half Outlaw. She received her MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Central Oklahoma and is a contributor to Living Beyond Borders: Growing Up Mexican in America and Speculative Fiction for Dreamers: A Latinx Anthology. Her creative writing has been published in PALABRITAS, D Magazine, among others, and she has taught creative writing seminars, workshops, and classes with the Women’s Fiction Writers Association, WritingWorkshops.com, the Writer’s League of Texas, and more. She lives in Dallas, writing books and working as an award-winning travel and products journalist.

Lauren Brazeal Garza is the author of five books of poetry and fiction including her memoir-in-verse, Gutter (YesYes Books, 2018), which chronicles her homelessness as a teenager. She earned her M.F.A in creative writing from Bennington College, and her Ph.D. in Literature from The University of Texas at Dallas. She teaches literature and creative writing at The University of Texas at Dallas.

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Lyceum Series: David Hopkins – Solving Act II Problems In Long-Form Fiction
2025-11-15 10:00 - 12:00 | The Writer’s Garret, 215 S. Tyler St., Dallas, TX, 75208, United States
Welcome to the lyceum. These free, monthly workshops are held on the third Saturday of the month, and offer writers of every genre and skill level an opportunity to learn, experiment and develop their craft. We hope you’ll join us!
Whether you’re a novice or a published author with years of experience, writing long-form fiction (e.g., novel, novella, play, film, or comic book) is always hard. Most people struggle with the second act, the middle of the story, sometimes referred to as the “messy middle.” It’s where we fear boring our reader and losing the plot. We know how it begins and ends, but what do we do in-between? Much of this frustration comes from a misunderstanding of plot structure. The seminar experts give you a map, which works fine as an analytical tool, but it does very little to help you make meaningful choices during the second act.
In this two-hour workshop, we will learn how to write second acts that engage your audience and build tension. We will explore the works of Shakespeare (no prior knowledge necessary) and some contemporary examples to see how these storytellers approach the middle. Become a master of the middle and rediscover the joy of writing long-form fiction.
David Hopkins was born in Chicago, Illinois. He is the author of the Dryad’s Crown, a story set in the vast world of Efre Ousel. In addition to his writing, he also has an interest in Shakespeare, medieval history, Dungeons & Dragons, and Witcher 3. David lives in Texas with his wife, artist and designer, April Hopkins. They have two daughters, Kennedy and Greta, and a dog named Moose.

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Tap The Mic: The Cider Sessions Open Mic
2025-12-02 19:30 - 21:30 | Trinity Cider, 2721 Main St., Dallas, TX, 75226, United States
The Writer’s Garret is proud to partner with Trinity Cider to host Tap The Mic: The Cider Sessions, a new monthly open mic showcasing the vibrant literary and performing talents of DFW! Whether you’re a veteran poet looking to try some new material, a microfictionalist with a story burning in your pocket, or you’re brand new to writing and are looking for a place to share what you’ve written with an audience, Tap The Mic is the place to do it. In December, we’re pleased to welcome feature poet Alex Tha Great!
Hosted by Lyrik Hunter at Trinity Cider in Deep Ellum, Tap The Mic features open mic drink specials, good vibes and great community. Attendance and participation is FREE, so RSVP below to join us in December!
Want to get on the mic? A limited number of pre-registration spots will be available beginning mid-November, so check back then.
Note: IDs required; must be 21 to purchase alcohol.

Tap The Mic is supported in part by the City of Dallas Office of Arts & Culture.

Make It Memorable: Letters To Petrarch & Still By Logen Cure Tenth Anniversary Reading
2025-12-07 14:00 - 15:00 | TX
Join us online for a conversation between poets Logen Cure and Executive Director Aaron Glover celebrating the tenth anniversary of two of Logen’s chapbooks, Letters to Petrarch and Still.
Letters to Petrarch, published by Unicorn Press in 2015, is a handmade hardback chapbook. Comprised of epistolary poems addressed to 14th-century Italian poet Francesco Petrarca and prayers corresponding to the canonical hours, this book recounts a single day and meditates on young love and loss. Purchase a copy here.
Still, published by Finishing Line Press in 2015, was composed during the same years as Letters to Petrarch. The speaker in this coming-of-age collection is at odds with herself and deeply concerned with relationships, desire, memory, and place. Purchase a copy here.
Logen Cure is a queer poet and educator. She curates Inner Moonlight, the monthly reading series and podcast at The Wild Detectives in Dallas. She earned her MFA in Creative Writing from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Her debut full-length poetry collection, Welcome to Midland (Deep Vellum Publishing 2021), was shortlisted for the Reading the West Book Awards. Learn more at www.logencure.com.

RSVP below for the zoom link
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Cake & Prose - Dickens' A Christmas Carol In Fort Worth
2025-12-11 19:00 - 21:00 | Arts Fifth Avenue, 1628 5th Ave., Fort Worth, TX, 76104, United States
Cake & Prose returns for the holidays!
In December, we’re celebrating the Charles Dickens’ masterpiece, A Christmas Carol. Our actors are reading a version of the story abridged by Dickens himself for public readings. And as always, there will be cake from a local bakery during intermission and a musical performance to conclude the evening. This event is family friendly.
Cake and Prose will take place in Fort Worth on Thursday, December 11th at Arts Fifth Avenue.
A Christmas Carol will be performed by Marissa Duran, Shawn Gann, Brina Palencia, and Katie Wetch, with musical guest Rachel Gollay. We look forward to seeing you there!
RSVP below, with a suggested donation of $10.

ABOUT CHARLES DICKENS
Charles Dickens is regarded as the greatest novelist of the Victorian era. He wrote A Christmas Carol in six weeks and had to pay half the publication costs himself, since his publisher did not see the value of a Christmas story. The novella has never been out of print since its publication in 1843. A Christmas Carol was his first ever public reading in the Birmingham Town Hall on December 27, 1852. His first reading was such a success, he repeated it three days later. Dickens loved to perform A Christmas Carol. He continually edited and adapted the story as a performance piece for several years.
PERFORMER BIOS
MARISA DURAN
Marisa Duran has had the privilege of working with multiple professional theatre companies in the DFW area, and has landed on-camera roles in short films, web-series, and commercials. Marisa works with studios such as Crunchyroll and BangZoom, and lends their voice to various indie projects, video-games, and commercials.

SHAWN GANN
Shawn Gann is a proud Filipino-American ADR Director, Voiceover Artist, and Educator. For most of his career, Shawn has been a theatre maker in Dallas-Fort Worth that has performed on most major stages, started several companies, and has been a producing board/company member with many others; he has also toured nationally and internationally as an actor, which includes performing in Scotland’s 2019 Festival Fringe in Edinburgh.

CAITLIN GLASS
Caitlin Glass is a voice actress and director, best known for playing Winry Rockbell in Fullmetal Alchemist, Haruhi Fujioka in Ouran High School Host Club, and Princess Vivi in One Piece. You can currently hear her as Damian Desmond in Spy X Family, Cammy White in Street Fighter, and Mina Ashido in My Hero Academia. Check out her voice directing for Solo Leveling, 2024’s Anime of the Year, and Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc, number one at the box office worldwide in Fall ’25!
Other well-known anime roles include Vados in Dragon Ball Super, Evergreen in Fairy Tail, Petra in Attack on Titan, Diancie in Pokémon, Kirigiri in Danganronpa: The Animation, Machi in Fruits Basket (2019), Willow Schnee in RWBY, Haumea in Fire Force, Satellizer in Freezing, and Saki in Zombie Land SAGA, among many others.Caitlin holds a BFA in Theatre from the University of Texas at Arlington and still enjoys a turn across the boards every now and then. Catch her with Shakespeare Everywhere, Shakespeare in the Bar, Shakespeare Dallas and belting Christmas tunes with Arts Mission Oak Cliff.
KATIE WETCH
Katie Wetch is an actor for Voice Over, TV, Film, and Theater. They also specializes in Improv, Motion Capture, and Stage Combat. Originally from Virginia Beach, they could always be found running from the beach to the mountains. Camping, Hiking or days spent at the beach were some of their favorite pass-times growing up. If they weren’t outside, they could be found in their room painting murals on walls, reading anything fantasy-related, or playing some of their favorite video games.

MUSICAL GUEST RACHEL GOLLAY
Rachel Gollay (she/they) is a Fort Worth-based singer-songwriter. Rachel lives with her wife, rescue greyhound, cats, and backyard chickens. When she’s not plotting and scheming, Rachel is writing and recording songs or spending time out at the barn with their horse Simcha. Learn more about Rachel and her band at https://www.gollay.net/.

CAKE & PROSE is created and produced by David Hopkins & Matt Cobb.
DAVID HOPKINS is a fantasy novelist with an interest in Shakespeare (hence the workshop), medieval history, fairy tales, and myth. He is the author of The Dryad’s Crown, a story set in the vast world of Efre Ousel. David is married to artist and designer, April Hopkins. They have two daughters, Kennedy and Greta, and a dog named Moose. David is a full member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association and founder of Cake and Prose. David teaches classes through WritingWorkshops.com.

MATT COBB is a writer and avid reader with a focus on genre fiction. He lives with his family in Fort Worth.

Cake & Prose - Dickens' A Christmas Carol In Dallas
2025-12-12 19:00 - 21:00 | Apprentice Creative Space, 919 Morrell Ave. #110, Dallas, TX, 75203
Cake & Prose returns for the holidays!
In December, we’re celebrating the Charles Dickens’ masterpiece, A Christmas Carol. Our actors are reading a version of the story abridged by Dickens himself for public readings. And as always, there will be cake from a local bakery during intermission and a musical performance to conclude the evening. This event is family friendly.
Cake and Prose will take place in Dallas on Friday, December 12th at Apprentice Creative Space.
A Christmas Carol will be performed by Marissa Duran, Shawn Gann, Brina Palencia, and Katie Wetch, with musical guest Mollie Danel. We look forward to seeing you there!
RSVP below, with a suggested donation of $10.

ABOUT CHARLES DICKENS
Charles Dickens is regarded as the greatest novelist of the Victorian era. He wrote A Christmas Carol in six weeks and had to pay half the publication costs himself, since his publisher did not see the value of a Christmas story. The novella has never been out of print since its publication in 1843. A Christmas Carol was his first ever public reading in the Birmingham Town Hall on December 27, 1852. His first reading was such a success, he repeated it three days later. Dickens loved to perform A Christmas Carol. He continually edited and adapted the story as a performance piece for several years.
MARISA DURAN
Marisa Duran has had the privilege of working with multiple professional theatre companies in the DFW area, and has landed on-camera roles in short films, web-series, and commercials. Marisa works with studios such as Crunchyroll and BangZoom, and lends their voice to various indie projects, video-games, and commercials.

SHAWN GANN
Shawn Gann is a proud Filipino-American ADR Director, Voiceover Artist, and Educator. For most of his career, Shawn has been a theatre maker in Dallas-Fort Worth that has performed on most major stages, started several companies, and has been a producing board/company member with many others; he has also toured nationally and internationally as an actor, which includes performing in Scotland’s 2019 Festival Fringe in Edinburgh.

CAITLIN GLASS
Caitlin Glass is a voice actress and director, best known for playing Winry Rockbell in Fullmetal Alchemist, Haruhi Fujioka in Ouran High School Host Club, and Princess Vivi in One Piece. You can currently hear her as Damian Desmond in Spy X Family, Cammy White in Street Fighter, and Mina Ashido in My Hero Academia. Check out her voice directing for Solo Leveling, 2024’s Anime of the Year, and Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc, number one at the box office worldwide in Fall ’25!
Other well-known anime roles include Vados in Dragon Ball Super, Evergreen in Fairy Tail, Petra in Attack on Titan, Diancie in Pokémon, Kirigiri in Danganronpa: The Animation, Machi in Fruits Basket (2019), Willow Schnee in RWBY, Haumea in Fire Force, Satellizer in Freezing, and Saki in Zombie Land SAGA, among many others.Caitlin holds a BFA in Theatre from the University of Texas at Arlington and still enjoys a turn across the boards every now and then. Catch her with Shakespeare Everywhere, Shakespeare in the Bar, Shakespeare Dallas and belting Christmas tunes with Arts Mission Oak Cliff.
KATIE WETCH
Katie Wetch is an actor for Voice Over, TV, Film, and Theater. They also specializes in Improv, Motion Capture, and Stage Combat. Originally from Virginia Beach, they could always be found running from the beach to the mountains. Camping, Hiking or days spent at the beach were some of their favorite pass-times growing up. If they weren’t outside, they could be found in their room painting murals on walls, reading anything fantasy-related, or playing some of her favorite video games.

MUSICAL GUEST MOLLIE DANEL
For Mollie Danel, music isn’t just a career—it’s a way of being. It’s melody and meaning, stage lights and soul. It’s where she finds herself, one note at a time.If Danel seems familiar, it’s probably because you’ve already seen her — she plays regularly at Magnolia Wine Bar (every Saturday night), has gigged in almost every local venue, and is a regular on the local open mic circuit — her finger-picking folk grooves quickly becoming a staple on Fort Worth stages. Informed by artists like Bonnie Raitt, Susan Tedeschi, Mavis Staples, and Carole King, Danel’s sound is a quilt of influences, stitched with folk storytelling, blues grit, and soulful honesty.” (from FWTX.com)
CAKE & PROSE is created and produced by David Hopkins & Matt Cobb.
DAVID HOPKINS is a fantasy novelist with an interest in Shakespeare (hence the workshop), medieval history, fairy tales, and myth. He is the author of The Dryad’s Crown, a story set in the vast world of Efre Ousel. David is married to artist and designer, April Hopkins. They have two daughters, Kennedy and Greta, and a dog named Moose. David is a full member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association and founder of Cake and Prose. David teaches classes through WritingWorkshops.com.

MATT COBB is a writer and avid reader with a focus on genre fiction. He lives with his family in Fort Worth.

Tap The Mic - January
2026-01-06 19:30 - 21:30 | Trinity Cider, 2721 Main St., Dallas, TX, 75226, United States
The Writer’s Garret is proud to partner with Trinity Cider to host Tap The Mic: The Cider Sessions, a monthly open mic showcasing the vibrant literary and performing talents of DFW! Whether you’re a veteran poet looking to try some new material, a microfictionalist with a story burning in your pocket, or you’re brand new to writing and are looking for a place to share what you’ve written with an audience, Tap The Mic is the place to do it.
January’s Tap The Mic is going purple in celebration of host Lyrik Hunter’s birthday, so you definitely don’t want to miss this!
Hosted by Lyrik Hunter at Trinity Cider in Deep Ellum, Tap The Mic features open mic drink specials, good vibes and great community. Attendance and participation is FREE, so RSVP below to join us in January!
Want to get on the mic? A limited number of pre-registration spots will be available, so sign up here.
Note: IDs required; must be 21 to purchase alcohol.
Sign up to RSVP for Tap The Mic

Tap The Mic is supported in part by the City of Dallas Office of Arts & Culture.

Poetry In Place - January 2026
2026-01-24 09:00 - 12:00 | Santa Fe Trestle Trail, 1837 E. 8th St., Dallas, TX, 75203, United States
Join us for Poetry In Place, a monthly workshop engaging and archiving our relationship with the Trinity River.
Poetry In Place is a project documenting the relationship of residents of Dallas with the Trinity River, one of the main geographical features motiving the placement of the city when it was founded. In monthly workshops, attendees will explore the river and record their experience based on prompts by Teaching Artists Lisa Huffaker and Joe Milazzo, with additional insight provided by a guest contributor.
Read more about the project here
This month, our guest contributor is Jean Lamberty.
Jean Lamberty is a retired educator who lives in Dallas. Her interests include poetry, gardening and grandchildren. She has lived near several rivers and now is experiencing the Trinity. Her poems have appeared in various small-press publications, and she is currently pushing back against the negative agenda of the current administration.

Poetry In Place is free, but an RSVP is required

Sign Up For Poetry In Place
Poetry In Place is made possible by the City of Dallas Office of Arts & Culture.

Tap The Mic: The Cider Sessions Open Mic - February
2026-02-03 19:30 - 21:30 | TX
The Writer’s Garret is proud to partner with Trinity Cider to host Tap The Mic: The Cider Sessions, a monthly open mic showcasing the vibrant literary and performing talents of DFW! Whether you’re a veteran poet looking to try some new material, a microfictionalist with a story burning in your pocket, or you’re brand new to writing and are looking for a place to share what you’ve written with an audience, Tap The Mic is the place to do it.
Hosted by Lyrik Hunter at Trinity Cider in Deep Ellum, Tap The Mic features open mic drink specials, good vibes and great community. Attendance and participation is FREE, so RSVP below to join us in February! Doors at 7; event starts at 7:30.
Want to get on the mic? A limited number of pre-registration spots will be available, so sign up here.
Note: IDs required; must be 21 to purchase alcohol.
Sign up to RSVP for Tap The Mic

Tap The Mic is supported in part by the City of Dallas Office of Arts & Culture.

February First Draughts
2026-02-17 18:00 - 20:00 | The Wild Detectives, 314 W 8th St, Dallas, TX, 75208, United States
First Draughts, the monthly mixer for prose writers is back!
Meet us in the backyard at The Wild Detectives on the third Tuesdays of each month to grab a book and a beverage, chat with other writers and catch up on the latest local literary news. There’ll be a monthly drink special, plus book and gift card giveaways, so RSVP to join us.

Sign up to RSVP for First Draughts

So You Want To Talk About Race: Banned Books Short Play Festival
2026-02-19 19:00 - 21:00, 2026-02-20 19:00 - 21:00, 2026-02-22 16:00 - 18:00, 2026-02-27 19:00 - 21:00, 2026-03-06 19:00 - 21:00, 2026-03-07 16:00 - 18:00, 2026-03-08 16:00 - 18:00 | Bishop Arts Theatre Center, 215 S. Tyler St., Dallas, TX, 75208, United States
Experience the transformative power of storytelling at the Banned Books Festival—an electrifying evening of theatre presented in partnership with the Bishop Arts Theatre Center inspired by Ijeoma Oluo’s groundbreaking book So You Want to Talk About Race.
GET TICKETS
This year’s festival features six bold, original short plays penned by visionary local playwrights who dive fearlessly into the complexities of race, identity, and social justice. Each piece shines a light on a different facet of Oluo’s work—sometimes with humor, sometimes with raw vulnerability, always with striking honesty.
More than a night at the theatre, the Banned Books Festival is a communal experience designed to spark dialogue, challenge assumptions, and ignite meaningful reflection.
Tickets are available through the Bishop Arts Theatre Center website HERE

Lyceum Series: Lyrik Hunter - Writing With Empathy: Connecting Through Shared Experience
2026-02-21 10:00 - 12:00 | The Writer’s Garret, 215 S. Tyler St., Dallas, TX, 75208, United States
Welcome to the lyceum. These free, monthly workshops are held on the third Saturday of the month, and offer writers of every genre and skill level an opportunity to learn, experiment and develop their craft. We hope you’ll join us!
This interactive writing workshop explores the art of empathy in storytelling and personal narrative. Writers will learn how to authentically capture shared human experiences—joy, loss, resilience, identity—and use them to foster genuine emotional connection with readers. Through guided prompts, group discussion, and reflective exercises, participants will examine how cultural awareness, vulnerability, and perspective-taking can elevate their writing.
LyriK Hunter is a dynamic traveling performance artist, based in Dallas, TX, originally from Midland, TX. LyriK has actively been performing since 2020, and has made a name for herself as a poet, singer, speaker, actress, community advocate, stage manager/assistant, and entrepreneur. LyriK has performed on notable stages including The Black Academy of Arts & Letters, F.L.O.W. International in Brazil & Europe, Pan African Connection in Dallas, Dallas Is Lit Festival, Right 2 Write Poetry Slam Festival, Deep Ellum Arts Festival, Grambling State University and more! She is the former CEO of The Brown Sugah Lounge, a popular Dallas open mic venue, voted “Best Open Mic Poetry Venue” in 2023. Find her online on instagram at @lyrik_hunter

RSVP for the Lyceum Series

So You Want To Talk About Race: Banned Books Short Play Festival & Roundtable Discussion
2026-02-21 16:00 - 18:30 | Bishop Arts Theatre Center, 215 S. Tyler St., Dallas, TX, 75208, United States
Experience the transformative power of storytelling at the Banned Books Festival—an electrifying evening of theatre presented in partnership with the Bishop Arts Theatre Center inspired by Ijeoma Oluo’s groundbreaking book So You Want to Talk About Race, followed by a roundtable discussion on banned books with Executive Director Oni K. Blair and Education Coordinator Caro Achar of ACLU Texas. Executive Director Aaron Glover will facilitate.
GET TICKETS
This year’s festival features six bold, original short plays penned by visionary local playwrights who dive fearlessly into the complexities of race, identity, and social justice. Each piece shines a light on a different facet of Oluo’s work—sometimes with humor, sometimes with raw vulnerability, always with striking honesty.
More than a night at the theatre, the Banned Books Festival is a communal experience designed to spark dialogue, challenge assumptions, and ignite meaningful reflection.
Tickets are available through the Bishop Arts Theatre Center website HERE

February Poetry In Place
2026-02-28 09:00 - 12:00 | Trinity River Audubon Center, 6500 S. Great Trinity Forest Way, Dallas, 75217, United States
Join us at 9am on February 28th for Poetry In Place, a monthly workshop engaging and archiving our relationship with the Trinity River.
Poetry In Place is a project documenting the relationship of residents of Dallas with the Trinity River, one of the main geographical features motiving the placement of the city when it was founded. In monthly workshops, attendees will explore the river and record their experience based on prompts by Teaching Artists Lisa Huffaker and Joe Milazzo, with additional insight provided by a guest contributor. In February, we’re excited to welcome Jake Poinsett, the Education Manager at the Trinity River Audubon Center.
Read more about the project here
Jake Poinsett has been with Audubon since 2020. As Education Manager, he manages a small but MIGHTY team that leads environmental education for students of all ages, public programming for people to build their own relationships with nature, community outreach to strengthen Audubon’s presence and relationships, volunteer efforts to enhance our community building, and habitat restoration and management of TRAC’s property and beyond.

Poetry In Place is free, but an RSVP is required

Sign Up For Poetry In Place

Poetry In Place is made possible by the City of Dallas Office of Arts & Culture.

So You Want To Talk About Race: Banned Books Short Play Festival & Conversation With Ijeoma Oluo
2026-02-28 16:00 - 18:30 | Bishop Arts Theatre Center, 215 S. Tyler St., Dallas, TX, 75208, United States
Experience the transformative power of storytelling at the Banned Books Festival—an electrifying evening of theatre presented in partnership with the Bishop Arts Theatre Center inspired by Ijeoma Oluo’s groundbreaking book So You Want to Talk About Race followed by a conversation with Ijeoma facilitated by Executive Director Aaron Glover and book signing.
GET TICKETS
This year’s festival features six bold, original short plays penned by visionary local playwrights who dive fearlessly into the complexities of race, identity, and social justice. Each piece shines a light on a different facet of Oluo’s work—sometimes with humor, sometimes with raw vulnerability, always with striking honesty.
More than a night at the theatre, the Banned Books Festival is a communal experience designed to spark dialogue, challenge assumptions, and ignite meaningful reflection.
Tickets are available through the Bishop Arts Theatre Center website HERE

So You Want To Talk About Race: Banned Books Short Play Festival with Cast & Creative Talkback
2026-03-01 16:00 - 18:00 | Bishop Arts Theatre Center, 215 S. Tyler St., Dallas, TX, 75208, United States
Experience the transformative power of storytelling at the Banned Books Festival—an electrifying evening of theatre presented in partnership with the Bishop Arts Theatre Center inspired by Ijeoma Oluo’s groundbreaking book So You Want to Talk About Race. Following this performance, stick around an get an inside scoop on the production process with a talkback featuring members of the cast and creative team.
GET TICKETS
This year’s festival features six bold, original short plays penned by visionary local playwrights who dive fearlessly into the complexities of race, identity, and social justice. Each piece shines a light on a different facet of Oluo’s work—sometimes with humor, sometimes with raw vulnerability, always with striking honesty.
More than a night at the theatre, the Banned Books Festival is a communal experience designed to spark dialogue, challenge assumptions, and ignite meaningful reflection.
Tickets are available through the Bishop Arts Theatre Center website HERE

March Tap The Mic: The Cider Sessions Open Mic
2026-03-03 19:30 - 21:30 | Trinity Cider, 2721 Main St., Dallas, TX, 75226, United States
The Writer’s Garret is proud to partner with Trinity Cider to host Tap The Mic: The Cider Sessions, a monthly open mic showcasing the vibrant literary and performing talents of DFW! Whether you’re a veteran poet looking to try some new material, a microfictionalist with a story burning in your pocket, or you’re brand new to writing and are looking for a place to share what you’ve written with an audience, Tap The Mic is the place to do it. In March, we’ll spotlight Delaney Murdock!
Hosted by Lyrik Hunter at Trinity Cider in Deep Ellum, Tap The Mic features open mic drink specials, good vibes and great community. Attendance and participation is FREE, so RSVP below to join us in March! Doors at 7; event starts at 7:30.
Want to get on the mic? A limited number of pre-registration spots are available for RSVP.
Note: IDs required; must be 21 to purchase alcohol.
Sign up to RSVP for Tap The Mic

Volunteer Summer Prep Crafting Party
2026-03-14 10:00 - 12:00 | The Writer’s Garret, 215 S. Tyler St., Dallas, TX, 75208, United States
Do you you want to get more involved at The Writer’s Garret, meet other like-minded community members and have a good time with crafting supplies on a Saturday morning? If any of this sounds like fun, join us on Saturday, March 14th at 10am as we prepare for our summer youth programs!
Bring a coffee and your scissors to help clip collage words and images from old magazines, organize markers and colored pencils for supply kits, and help us assemble booklets for our immersive summer youth program Rail Writers. Plus, find out more about upcoming volunteer opportunities and programs, and grab a slice of free pizza before you go!
Sign up to for the Summer Prep Crafting Party

Rail Writers: Time Trekkers Spring Break Camp
2026-03-16 - 2026-03-20 | East Dock Dallas, 900 E. Clarendon Dr., Dallas, TX, 75203, United States
Rail Writers: Time Trekkers
Step into the Past | Explore the Present | Imagine the Future

Time Trekkers invites young people to discover the history of Dallas by traveling through the city, walking its streets, and writing about it. From the majestic skyscrapers of downtown to the vibrant streets of Deep Ellum and the historic grounds of Fair Park, the city’s spirit buzzes, waiting to be discovered. Guided by educators, participants ask questions, make observations, and engage in creative activities that build curiosity, confidence, and a deeper connection to their city. Lunch will be provided each day.
Camp Philosophy

Learning through exploration: Participants discover history by seeing it in real places.
Creativity at the center: Writing, journaling, and storytelling encourage reflection and self-expression.
Community and belonging: Activities build confidence, collaboration, and appreciation for Dallas’s diverse neighborhoods.
Curiosity-driven: Questions guide the experience—participants ask, observe, and connect

Dates: March 16-20, 2026
Time: 9:00 AM – 3:30 PM, Monday–Friday (Drop-off begins at 8:30 AM; pick-up by 4:00 PM).
Drop Off & Pick Up Location: East Dock Dallas – 900 E. Clarendon Dr. Dallas, TX 75203
Age Level / Eligibility

Ages: 11-14
Maximum of 15 campers accepted on a first-come, first-served basis
Registration closes March 9, 2026

Activities Include:

Creative writing
Field trips to Downtown Dallas, Deep Ellum, Fair Park, and Reunion Tower
Streetcar and DART Light Rail rides for city exploration
Group discussions, reflections, and storytelling
Creation of Camp Zine from student writing
Camp Showcase on final day

Cost

Camp Fee: $400 for the week (Lunch is included)
Payment is due at registration

For questions or more information, please contact:
Sharon Mansfield
program@writersgarret.org
214-828-1715
Fill out my LGL Form!

March First Draughts Prose Writer Meet Up
2026-03-17 18:00 - 19:30 | The Wild Detectives, 314 W 8th St, Dallas, TX, 75208, United States
First Draughts, the monthly mixer for prose writers is back!
Meet us in the backyard at The Wild Detectives on the third Tuesdays of each month to grab a book and a beverage, chat with other writers, share your postcard fiction on the month’s prompt, and catch up on the latest local literary news. There’ll be a monthly drink special, plus book and gift card giveaways, so RSVP to join us.
POSTCARD FICTION
Each month, we’ll post a short prompt for a piece of fiction of no more than 500 words. At First Draughts, we’ll make an opportunity for anyone who’s written in response to share their work. The prompt this month’s Postcard Fiction piece is:
The protagonist is time-bound by significant weather, celestial or geological activity.
If you have cards, bookmarks or info to get the word out about your work, bring them with you to share with the folks you talk with.
Sign up to RSVP for First Draughts

The Correspondence Project: We Are Everywhere! In Partnership With Badge Of Pride
2026-03-18 19:30 - 21:00 | Bishop Arts Theatre Center, 215 S. Tyler St., Dallas, TX, 75208, United States
The Writer’s Garret is excited to again partner with Badge Of Pride, an award-winning LGBTQ history organization, to present a trio of performances titled The Correspondence Project. Drawing on texts by Queer icons from the past, and supplementing with newly commissioned material by local poets and writers, the performances of The Correspondence Project boldly proclaim and bring to light the truth that LGBTQ people have always been a part of the human story.
Get Tickets Here
We Are Everywhere!, the first performance of The Correspondence Project, is a documentary-style performance built entirely from publicly available primary sources—letters, speeches, political testimony, published essays, and declarations from LGBTQ+ writers, activists, organizers, and artists across multiple generations. Every excerpt is presented verbatim and brought into conversation through a collective ensemble of contemporary readers from Dallas’s Queer community.
Tickets from $15. Featuring Crush The Poet, DR Mann Hanson, Quintin Jones, and Jennifer Pickert, with music by Rachel Gollay.
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit the Badge Of Pride website.

Lyceum Series: Quraysh Ali Lansana
2026-03-21 10:00 - 12:00 | The Writer’s Garret, 215 S. Tyler St., Dallas, TX, 75208, United States
Welcome to the lyceum. These free, monthly workshops are held on the third Saturday of the month, and offer writers of every genre and skill level an opportunity to learn, experiment and develop their craft. We hope you’ll join us!
Whether a print culture poet, spoken word/performance poet or rapper/emcee, a versatile command of language is the most important element of your craft. This workshop will explore a variety of modes and exercises to help writers enhance their tool kits in writing, revision and new approaches. Great ideas often emanate from unusual sources, from pop culture to old encyclopedias. We will explore unorthodox, as well as traditional, research methods to disrupt and challenge your normal, in an effort to inspire fresh ideas. Exploration of the balance of message and craft, and when & how & why to disrupt that balance, will be addressed. Athletes stretch. Writers also must stretch. If writers don’t continuously challenge themselves, whether it’s a thematic challenge or a craft challenge, we write the same poem repeatedly.
Quraysh Ali Lansana is author of over twenty books in poetry, nonfiction and children’s literature. Lansana is Applied Associate Professor of English/Creative Writing and Media Studies at the University of Tulsa, where he is also Director of the African American Studies program and the Media Lab.
Lansana is Executive Producer of KOSU/NPR’s Focus: Black Oklahoma monthly radio program, which is a recipient of a 2022 duPont-Columbia Award, a 2022 NAACP Image Award, a 2022 Oklahoma Society of Professional Journalists Award and was a Peabody Award nominee. Lansana is also the recipient of a 2022 Emmy Award, among others, for his roles as host and consultant for the OETA (PBS) documentary film “Tulsa Race Massacre: 100 Years Later.” Lansana is a three-time International Regional Magazine Award-winning Contributing Editor for Oklahoma Today Magazine. He is a founding member of Tri-City Collective and serves on the Board of Directors of Oklahoma Humanities and the Tulsa Press Club. Lansana is an alumnus of the Tulsa Artist Fellowship.
RSVP for the Lyceum Series
