Poetry Promise, Inc.

06/11/2026

Poetry, YES! Join us Saturday, June 13 at 2 pm PDT via Zoom & in person for a FREE poetry event from The Saturday Series featuring the uniquely powerful spoken word artist Poet A.J. Houston! The feature will include a reading via Zoom & an in-person watch party, followed by an Open Reading & Poetry Discussion.

To attend in-person, simply show up at Wi******er Dondero Cultural Center, 3130 McLeod Dr., Las Vegas, NV 89121. For the Zoom link, email [email protected]. This event is made possible with support from Clark County Public Arts.

AJ Houston is a poet, a uniquely powerful spoken word artist, and "...one of the distinctive American spoken word artists of our time."

05/12/2026

Are you a full-time student aged 15+ in or from Clark County? Your poetry could win you up to $500! Submissions are now open for the John Oliver Simon Award, due September 18, 2026. The finalists will be featured in a community reading at the award ceremony. Learn more at our website poetrypromise.org (in the Scholarships menu).

If you will be at least 15 years old by October 15, 2026 and you live in or are from Clark County, download the application online to submit 3 pages of original poetry! The finalists will be recognized and featured in a community reading at Wi******er Cultural Center on Saturday, November 8th, alongside leading poets, writers, and educators. It's time to start writing now - submissions close 9/18/26!

Questions? Email [email protected] with "JOS AWARD" in the subject line...

The John Oliver Simon Award celebrates a full time student poet in or from Clark County, NV for exceptional promise in poetry!

03/28/2026

Come out Friday 4/3/2026 at 6:30pm for the FREE Neon Lit: Beat Poet Edition at 11th Street Records - featuring a curated lineup of incredible poetic voices, plus live music by Julian Tanaka! Special guest reader will be Bruce Isaacson, friend of Allen Ginsberg, founder of Poetry Promise, and Clark County's first Poet Laureate.

To attend, simply show up at 6:30pm at 11th Street Records, 1023 E Fremont St, Las Vegas, NV 89101. Enjoy an evening of free performance, wine, and cheese!

The Neon Lit Reading Series presents a special "Beat Poet Edition," bringing together a diverse collective of writers including Hüseyin S. Arikan, Taylor Wright, JM Huck, Seth Kleinschmidt, Jordan Barnes, Bruce Isaacson, Jessica Teague, and Uli Geissendoerfer. This lineup blends traditional verse with the improvisational spirit of jazz-infused performance, honoring the raw energy of the Beat tradition. From seasoned local icons to emerging voices, these artists transform the space into a sanctuary of spoken word, celebrating the power of poetry to challenge boundaries and capture the restless heart of the Las Vegas literary scene.

03/09/2026

Poetry, YES! Join us Saturday 3/14 at 2pm via Zoom & in person for a FREE book party featuring beloved Ren's new Poet Laureate Elisa Garcia - followed by an Open Reading!

To attend in-person, simply show up at Wi******er Dondero Cultural Center, 3130 McLeod Dr., Las Vegas, NV 89121. For the Zoom link, email [email protected]. This event is made possible with support from Clark County Public Arts.

Elisa Garcia is a Mexican-American writer and spoken word artist whose voice was born in L:.A. and has been shaping Reno poetry since 2009. Elisa has guided young poets at Brave New Voices and made history as part of Reno's first-ever team to compete at the National Poetry Slam. Through her poetry, she delves into family, identity, and the tender journey of self-acceptance, using words as both resistance and a path to healing.

02/11/2026

Poetry, YES! Join us Saturday 2/14 at 2pm via Zoom & in person for a FREE book party featuring beloved poet & author Rodney J. Lee - followed by an Open Reading!

To attend in-person, simply show up at Wi******er Dondero Cultural Center, 3130 McLeod Dr., Las Vegas, NV 89121. For the Zoom link, email [email protected]. This event is made possible with support from Clark County Public Arts.

Rodney J. Lee is known for dynamic poetry writing and performances. He has been an educator, airman, worker in construction and casinos, and a district-level administrator. He’s written and performed since a 3rd grade visit by Gwendolyn Brooks and is beloved by Las Vegas poets and audiences.

11/03/2025

Poetry, YES! Join us Saturday 11/08 at 2pm via Zoom & in person for a FREE celebration reading featuring Logan Harms and Rob Tomolillo, the 2025 winners of the John Oliver Simon-Poetry Promise Award - followed by an Open Reading!

To attend in-person, simply show up at Wi******er Dondero Cultural Center, 3130 McLeod Dr., Las Vegas, NV 89121. For the Zoom link, email [email protected]. This event is made possible with support from Nevada Humanities, National Endowment for the Humanities, and Clark County Public Arts.

The reading will also feature Lila Brissette, Andrew Romanelli, and Rodney J. Lee. The John Oliver Simon-Poetry Promise Award is a leading prize for original work by a full-time student from Southern Nevada. Winners receive recognition, win a cash prize, and are featured in this reading with excellent local poets. Join us!

09/16/2025

BAY AREA POETRY LOVERS: Check out this reading featuring Paul Corman-Roberts and Bruce Isaacson on Thursday, September 25, 7:00 PM at the Art House (2905 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley, CA)! About the poets:

Paul Corman-Roberts is the author of the new experimental collection, "Exquisite Zombie OWLS of the Heights." His previous full-length book, "Bone Moon Palace," was nominated for a CLMP Firecracker award. A founder of Oakland's Beast Crawl Lit Festival, he has also taught workshops for the San Francisco Creative Writing Institute and is a drummer for several Bay Area bands.

Bruce Isaacson, the first Poet Laureate of Clark County, NV, presents his new book, "Porpoisefully Wrong." A key figure in the local literary scene, he was a coordinator of the influential Café Babar readings in San Francisco, part of its infamous Spoken Word resurgence. He is also the author of the novel "Vegas Dirt" and publisher of the venerable Zeitgeist Press, with over 150 titles to date...

09/15/2025

LAST CHANCE! Don't forget to submit 3 pages of poetry TODAY (by 11:59 pm on 9/15/2025) for the opportunity to win up to $500 and a feature reading! Download the application on our website poetrypromise.org in the Scholarships menu.

Are you a full-time student aged 15+ in or from Clark County? Your poetry could win you up to $500! Submissions are now open for the John Oliver Simon Award, due September 15, 2025. The top three finalists will be featured in a community reading at the award ceremony. Learn more at our website poetrypromise.org, in the Scholarships menu.

If you will be at least 15 years old by October 1, 2025, live in or are from Clark County, and have 3 pages of original poetry, download the application online today! The top 3 finalists will be recognized and featured in a community reading at Wi******er Cultural Center on Saturday, November 8th, alongside leading poets, writers, and educators. It's time to start writing now - submissions close 9/15/25!

Questions? Email [email protected] with "JOS AWARD" in the subject line...

09/01/2025

September morning. It felt like fall until about 7:30. Now it’s still summer.