Greensboro's African American Community Newspaper since 1967
Hausson Byrd, a Greensboro-based poet who has performed in local, statewide and national venues, invites community members to learn and practice the art of poetry and spoken word during a five-week residency with the Greensboro Residency for Original Works (GROW) program.
Byrd will welcome guest poets, and use writing prompts, videos of poetry performances and skill-building games to help participants learn how to craft and perform poems during free “Poetry Club” workshops. He will also host open studio sessions and showcases to provide an opportunity for artists of all disciplines to meet and connect. Workshop participants will share their original poetry and practice their presentation skills in a creative and supportive environment.
During downtown Greensboro’s First Friday on July 5, Byrd will host “Friday Night Lights,” a showcase of live poetry performances. His residency will culminate at 3 p.m., Sunday, July 14, with a one-man show featuring Byrd performing his own poetry.
Workshop Schedule
All workshops and open studio sessions are free to the public.
Thursday, June 20 | 6-9 p.m. – “The Kitchen”
An open studio session where artists of all disciplines are invited to gather to talk, connect and create.
Monday, June 24 | 6-9 p.m. – “Study Hall II”
A live poetry performance practice session featuring Josephus Thompson III’s Finding Time For Freedom Cohort.
There will be several more workshops in July. To learn more about the residency, visit CreativeGreensboro.com.
The GROW residency space is located next to the Davie Street entrance of the Greensboro Cultural Center, 200 N. Davie St. To learn more about the residency, visit CreativeGreensboro.com.
About the Artist
Byrd is an artist, organizer and curator who has been writing and performing poetry for eight years. He did his first poetry performance in 2016 with The Poetry Project, an organization founded by Greensboro’s Poet Laureate Josephus Thompson III. Byrd has a degree in journalism and mass communication from North Carolina A&T State University, where he was president and founder of the Aggie Live Poetry Society. His poetry performances include TedX Greensboro, NPR and the Bull City Slam Team in Durham. He is currently also a community arts organizer in Winston-Salem for the North Carolina Museum of Art and is creating his own media company, Progress Inkorporated.
