Richmond Poetry Fest hosted by the Visual Arts Center of Richmond is an event co-created by VisArts staff and a group of former and current writers-in-residence. A celebration of poetry and community, Richmond Poetry Fest features readings, workshops, activities for poets and artists of all ages, and local vendors. Richmond Poetry Fest is a free community event supported by the Carole Weinstein Endowment for Creative Writing. Stay tuned for details about Richmond Poetry Fest 2026!

Richmond Poetry Fest – 2025 Schedule

Friday, April 11

The Basement’s Wild at Heart Series
Visual Arts Center of Richmond’s Dominion Community Room
A packed evening of poetry and prose readings, music, burlesque, and karaoke. Featuring readings and performances by Joanna Lee, Rieka Speaks, Luisa Black Ellis, Skylar Colby, Qing Blaze, Meg McDermott, Kayy Lovely, Eric “ESH” Hornsby, and Rosa Castellano. Ages 18+.

Saturday, April 12

Performances
Featuring JJJJJerome Ellis, River City Poets, Michelle Livigne (@michellelivigne), 1-2-3 Slam! hosted by Roscoe Burnems, and more.

Activities
Ekphrastic exhibition, all-ages art-making, screenprinting bandanas, and more.

Vendors
Appomattox Regional Governor’s School / Arden Shostak / bbgb / Belladonna Book Coven / Daijah Eames / Dirtgod Raven Mack / Dustin King / Henrico County Public Library / ILYSM Books / James River Writers / JustSeeds / Melanie Grace Tarot / Morgan Whitehead / Oura Sananikone / Paula G. Akinwole / The Poe Museum / Poetry on the Trail / Rae Whitlock / Resist Booksellers / Richmond Public Library / Richmond Young Writers

About the Writing Program

The VisArts Writing Program offers classes as diverse and vibrant as our student population with coursework for writers at all stages, from beginner to advanced. Classes cover a range of creative writing topics from poetry to fiction to memoir to screenwriting and are offered in flexible formats from short weekend workshops to 8-week classes. Thanks to VisArts diverse programming and studios, we have the unique ability to combine visual arts and writing to offer classes that can be welcoming to both writers and visual artists, like Sewetry, Embroidered poems—a class combining poetry and embroidery.  We’re proud of the long history of writing classes at VisArts and that we’ve grown to be a hub for writers wishing to learn and practice their craft.