BREATHEINK PROGRAMS

BreatheINK Teaching Artists facilitate writing and performance workshops and residencies. Students will learn different approaches to writing, often using examples by contemporary poets and lyricists and writing prompts to begin crafting their own original works. Students will engage in poetry observation, analysis, interpretation, evaluation, and group discussions. 

Please click below if you would like us to contact you about bringing our workshops and residencies to your school.

*CAROLIANCE 2024 IS NOW A FREE, ONE-DAY EVENT!*

Students from across North and South Carolina will convene on Saturday, April 6 in Charlotte, NC to share their love of poetry and create a community of youth poets across the region. Festival participants will enjoy workshops facilitated by poet laureates, showcases and performances, and a poetry slam tournament to decide who are the best individual poet and poetry slam team in the Carolinas!

If you would like to participate or volunteer, please click the button below.

BreatheINK has joined the National Youth Poet Laureate Network from Urban Word NYC to establish a program to appoint the first Charlotte Youth Poet Laureate. The Charlotte Youth Poet Laureate will focus on being an ambassador for poetry and young artists throughout the city while also utilizing poetry to address social issues that effect Charlotte youth and the Charlotte community-at-large.

Teen poets from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg area compete using original poems and performances. Poets earn points throughout the slam season to qualify for Finals in April. The top poets at Finals will represent Charlotte, NC at the Brave New Voices International Poetry Festival.

Six students participate in an arts professional development program designed to assist the next great generation of artists in understanding how to survive and thrive within today's and future societies. Students will work one-on-one with professional poets and poets laureate, build networking and programming skills, and receive instruction on poetry writing and performance prior to representing Charlotte, NC at the Brave New Voices International Youth Poetry Festival.

BreatheINK assists middle and high schools desiring to establish school poetry clubs. Clubs will be open to all students in each designated school. Teachers/Club mentors will receive assistance with setting up the club, writing prompts and workshops, video references, a club resource kit, and connection to a BreatheINK Teaching Artist.

Open Mics, in partnership with We Rock Charlotte, showcase all forms of creative artistic self-expression (poetry, dance, music, etc.) by local youth performers.