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Poets House Opens to the Public
Poets House opened its new home in Battery Park City to the public in a joyous Grand Opening celebration. |
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Poets House Thanks Contributors to the Campaign for Poets House
Poets House held a reception for contributors to the Campaign for Poets House and for political officials whose support has been essential to establishing our new home in Battery Park City. |
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Poets House Hosts Members Preview and Exclusive Film Screening
Poets House hosted a Members preview of the new home for Poets House in Battery Park City, followed by a private screening of the film Bright Star. |
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Poets House in the News
A small sampling of stories about our new home in Battery Park City. |
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Poets House Opens in Battery Park City
Poets House recently moved from its long-time home in SoHo to a majestic new facility at 10 River Terrace in Lower Manhattan's Battery Park City. |
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The Campaign for Poets House
After surpassing its initial goal of $6.5M and reaching $8.5M, the Poets House Board announced a new Capital Campaign goal of $11M. |
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On Friday, September 25 and Saturday, September 26, 2009, Poets House opened its new home in Battery Park City to the public in a joyous Grand Opening celebration that brought crowds of poets and poetry fans from across the country and around the world.
On Friday morning, the day began with a community breakfast of bagels and coffee and a community poetry reading, which included students from nearby Stuyvesant High School; residents of the neighboring Hallmark seniors' residence; and Billy Collins, former U.S. Poet Laureate.
Billy Collins
On Friday afternoon, visitors to Poets House made a beeline for the Poets House Reading Room, where they immediately began to browse the stacks and burrow into books.
On Saturday morning, Kurt Lamkin gave a lively performance of poetic stories and songs for families in Elizabeth Kray Hall. Playing the kora, an African stringed instrument, Lamkin inspired listeners both young and old to participate in the fun.
Kurt Lamkin with young poetry fans
On Saturday afternoon, acclaimed poets Meena Alexander, Charles Bernstein, Regie Cabico, Billy Collins, Mark Doty, Cornelius Eady, Kathleen Fraser, Kimiko Hahn, Michael Heller, Marie Howe, Dave Johnson, Galway Kinnell, Philip Levine, Marie Ponsot, Patricia Spears Jones, and Quincy Troupe read poems in tribute to Poets House in Nelson A. Rockefeller Park, Poets House's new "front lawn." Singer-songwriter Natalie Merchant followed the readings with a performance of poetry-inspired songs. Over a thousand people attended the program, which was cosponsored by the Battery Park City Authority.
Marie Howe
Kimiko Hahn
Patricia Spears Jones
Regie Cabico
Natalie Merchant and Crowd
Natalie Merchant
All Photos ©2009 by Mark-Woods.com |
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On Thursday, September 24, 2009, Poets House held a reception for contributors to the Campaign for Poets House and for political officials whose support has been essential to establishing our new home in Battery Park City. The evening began with eloquent remarks by James Cavanaugh, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Hugh L. Carey Battery Park City Authority, followed by words of wisdom from Margo Viscusi and Robert Kissane, co-chairs of the Campaign for Poets House. Multimedia artist Laurie Anderson then took the podium with an electrifying spoken-word performance. A powerhouse lineup of government officials filled out the rest of the program's first half with praise and congratulations. The speakers included Kate D. Levin, Commissioner of the New York Department of Cultural Affairs; Sheldon Silver, Speaker of the New York State Assembly; Deborah J. Glick, New York State Assembly Member, 66 th District; Michael T. Sillerman, Poets House Board Member and Chair of the Poets House Facilities Committee; Daniel L. Squadron, New York State Senator, 25th District, and Alan J. Gerson, New York City Council Member for District One.
After a brief intermission in which attendees roamed the new Poets House quarters, the second half of the program resumed with remarks by Richard J. Schwartz , former Chair of the New York State Council on the Arts, and Frank Platt, Vice President of the Poets House Board. U.S. Poet Laureate Kay Ryan and actor Bill Murray closed the evening with readings of poems, witty repartee and generous praise for Poets House.
(From left to right): Lee Briccetti, Kay Ryan, Bill Murray and Margo Viscusi share the ribbon-cutting task
Laurie Anderson
Members of the Poets House Board of Directors and Executive Director Lee Briccetti
(From left to right): André Spears, Michael T. Sillerman, Fredric Hugue, Cheri Fein, Lee Briccetti,
Margo Viscusi, Myra Shapiro, Frank Platt, Kurt Brown.
All Photos ©2009 by Mark-Woods.com |
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On Thursday, September 17, 2009, Poets House hosted a Members preview of the new home for Poets House in Battery Park City, followed by a private screening of the film Bright Star. Released to the general public the day after the Poets House Members-only screening, Bright Star is the latest creation of acclaimed director Jane Campion. The poetry-focused film chronicles John Keats's passionate love affair with his next-door neighbor Fanny Brawne.
Members crowded into Poets House's new, sun-drenched residence to sign the guestbook, peruse the books on display in the exhibition space, wander the stacks, and gather for a toast to a new beginning. Poet Edward Hirsch said a few words about Keats before the two-block procession to the Regal Battery Park movie theater for the exclusive screening of Bright Star.
View slideshow... |
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The press has recently lauded Poets House in some wonderful stories about our new home in Battery Park City. Here is a small sampling:
The New York Times, the Weekend Arts section:
Transparent New Home for Poetry
Associated Press
National Poetry Library Reopens in Lower Manhattan
New York Post
A Poets House by Any Other Name
Library Journal
Poets House Debuts Its New Home
NY1 television
Poets House Reopens in Battery Park City
Downtown Express
The Sofas Are Old, But the Poets' Home Is New
Real Clear Arts
You Don't Have To Be A Poet To Love Poets House |
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Poets House recently moved from its long-time home in SoHo to a majestic new facility at 10 River Terrace in Lower Manhattan's Battery Park City. Just two blocks south of Chambers Street, on the banks of the Hudson River, this permanent home for Poets House includes Elizabeth Kray Hall, a state-of-the-art programming hall dedicated to poetry-related performance; the Poets House Reading Room and the Reed Foundation Library with sweeping views of the Hudson River and the Statue of Liberty; the Constance Laibe Hays Children's Room, a whimsical, light-filled children's space that will host children's programs throughout the year; and the Cheney Chappell Exhibition Space, a spherical multidisciplinary gallery. With a lease awarded by the Battery Park City Authority through 2069, Poets House's singular poetry collection, public programming, and gathering place will endure for generations. Please come visit us!
View slideshow... |
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Over $9.8 million has been pledged to The Campaign for Poets House, which was launched to raise funds for the construction of a permanent home for Poets House and to establish an endowment and reserves to maintain the new space. In 2004, Poets House was awarded 11,000 square feet in a new building in Battery Park City rent-free until 2069, and the Poets House Board stepped forward with lead gifts to initiate the Campaign.
Since then, the Poets House project has attracted support from public agencies, private foundations, and individual donors to help fulfill our mission to create a place for poetry. As construction continues and the rooms of the new Poets House begin to shape, we invite you to be a part of this pivotal moment in our history. Help us keep poetry present in all our lives and in the lives of future generations! Our goal is to raise a total of $11 million.
Gifts in any amount are welcome. For more information about the Campaign for Poets House and giving opportunities, please read the attached letter to Friends of Poets House from Capital Campaign Co-Chairs Margo Viscusi and Bob Kissane.  (Adobe Acrobat Required) |
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