Kenosha-Racine, Wisconsin
Chiwaukee Corridor Stanzas: Guide to Poetry, Open Mics & Creative Writing in Kenosha & Racine, WI
Whether you're an established spoken word artist living along the Lake Michigan shoreline, a touring writer traveling the Chicago–Milwaukee corridor, or an emerging voice looking for a welcoming local stage, the twin cities of Kenosha and Racine offer a rich and varied literary landscape. From historic lakeside taverns and non-profit creative hubs to grassroots community movements, technical college journals, and transit art initiatives, poets across Southeastern Wisconsin have countless opportunities to share their verse, perform, and connect.
If you find inaccurate information and can provide correction, or if you are aware of other opportunities and can provide details regarding the day/time/dates, cost, frequency, location, and contact person(s), along with links to any relevant websites, social media profiles, media coverage and ticketing websites, please email complete information to info@thepoetrymovement.org
🎙️ Recurring Poetry Events & Open Mics
Grassroots Open Mic (Hosted by Family Power Music), 6-9pm, 2nd & 4th Wednesdays Grassroots is Family Power Music's flagship community open mic series, held from 6-9pm on the second and fourth Wednesday of every month at the Spectrum School of the Arts and Gallery, located in the East Building of The DeKoven Center, 2050 Wisconsin Ave, Racine, WI 53403. Hosted by Nick Ramsey, the evening begins with a casual family gathering at 6:00pm, followed by open performances from 7-9pm spanning poetry, acoustic music, and storytelling. Admission is free (with non-perishable food donations collected for the Racine County Food Bank). Contact Family Power Music at (262) 995-5800 or via email at info@familypowermusic.com. Learn more at the Family Power Music Grassroots Page.
Kenosha Creative Space Community Nights & Open Mics, 7-9pm, Monthly Thursdays Taking place at the Kenosha Creative Space, 624 57th St, Kenosha, WI 53140, these monthly community gatherings bring together spoken word poets, acoustic musicians, and visual artists for collaborative jams, open stage performances, and creative networking. Reach the venue by phone at (262) 748-8958 or email info@kenoshacreativespace.com. View dates and sign-up details on the Kenosha Creative Space Events Calendar.
Acoustic Open Mic at Union Park Tavern, 7-10pm, Every Wednesday Hosted weekly by local musician Mark Paffrath at the Union Park Tavern, 4520 8th Ave, Kenosha, WI 53140, this long-running Wednesday night tradition features an open list for poets, acoustic performers, and storytellers. Sign-up begins at 7:00pm, with 20-minute performance slots running throughout the evening in the tavern's dining room or seasonal outdoor beer garden. Contact the venue at (262) 652-6454. Read venue updates on the Union Park Tavern Website.
The White Lilac Listening Room Showcases, 7:00-9:30pm, Selected Weeknights Situated along 6th Avenue in Downtown Kenosha, WI, The White Lilac is an intimate, noise-free listening room dedicated to original storytelling, acoustic music, theatrical readings, and poetic performances. Designed specifically to eliminate background distractions, this venue provides a focused stage for local and touring poets. Browse upcoming events at The White Lilac Eventbrite Page.
First Thursday Third Space Multimedia Arts Event at The Checkpoint, 7-10pm, First Thursdays Hosted at The Checkpoint bar in Downtown Racine, WI, the First Thursday Third Space gathering is a monthly multimedia arts showcase bringing together regional poets, spoken word performers, visual artists, and musicians. Designed as an informal community "third space," the event encourages cross-disciplinary creative collaboration, ekphrastic poetry, and live performance. Connect with event organizers and view monthly lineups on The Checkpoint Bar Facebook Page.
ArtRoot Creative Mixers & Wall Poems Celebrations, 6-8pm, Seasonal Dates Hosted by ArtRoot in Downtown Racine, these networking mixers bring together writers, poets, visual artists, and community members. ArtRoot also sponsors public art unveilings and readings around the ArtRoot Wall Poems project—large-scale public murals featuring the work of regional poets painted on building walls across Racine. Contact ArtRoot via email at info@artroot.org or visit ArtRoot Racine.
Transit Poems Launch Readings & Community Showcases, Seasonal Schedules Organized by The Poetry Movement in partnership with the Racine Arts Council, these seasonal readings celebrate the installation of local poetry inside public transit buses across Racine. Showcases feature cash-prize winners and community poets reading their work aloud. Check project updates on The Poetry Movement.
📚 Independent Bookshops, Libraries & Visual Art Galleries
Blue House Books (5915 6th Ave A, Kenosha, WI 53140): Kenosha's premier downtown independent bookstore offers a curated selection of contemporary poetry, regional literature, and bestsellers. Blue House Books frequently hosts author book signings, poetry readings, and writing workshops. Reach the shop by phone at (262) 612-5525 or email info@bluehousebookskenosha.com. They occasionally feature local poets at open mics, charging a modest $10 table fee to vend during intermission and after the event. Visit Blue House Books.
Vintage and Modern Books (Racine, WI): A charming downtown Racine bookseller featuring a carefully chosen collection of vintage poetry volumes, rare antiquarian finds, secondhand paperbacks, and modern literature.
Racine Public Library (75 Seventh St, Racine, WI 53403): Located on the lakefront in Downtown Racine, RPL provides community write-ins, youth and adult poetry workshops, public reading series, and extensive local poetry archives. Reach the library by phone at (262) 636-9217. Explore the calendar at Racine Public Library.
Kenosha Public Library (Multiple Branches, Kenosha, WI): Serving Kenosha County with adult creative writing circles, National Poetry Month programs, author spotlights, and quiet writing spaces across its Simmons, Southwest, and Northside branches. Phone: (262) 564-6100. Connect via Kenosha Public Library.
Racine Art Museum (RAM) (441 Main St, Racine, WI 53403): Home to the largest collection of contemporary craft in North America, RAM regularly hosts interdisciplinary programs, artist lectures, and poetry readings inspired by visual art exhibitions. Contact RAM at (262) 636-9177 or via email at info@ramart.org. Visit Racine Art Museum.
The Racine Arts Council - Parks Department Collaboration Main Gallery (300 5th St, Racine, WI 53403): 35-0932 or email art@racineartscouncil.org. Visit the gallery details at Racine Arts Council Galleries.
OS Projects Gallery (601 Sixth St, Racine, WI 53403): A contemporary visual art gallery in Downtown Racine that collaborates with regional writers for gallery readings, ekphrastic poetry events, and multidisciplinary exhibitions. Contact owner/director Vera Scekic at info@osprojects.com for appointments. Explore exhibitions at OS Projects.
Spectrum School of the Arts and Gallery (The DeKoven Center, East Building, 2050 Wisconsin Ave, Racine, WI 53403): A historic arts non-profit offering fine art instruction, life drawing, and gallery exhibitions. Spectrum hosts the annual Artery Project, a community-wide public art and literary initiative where local artists and poets transform blank canvas panels into public displays exhibited across Racine. Contact Spectrum at (262) 634-4345 or via email at spectrumschoolandgallery@gmail.com. Learn more at Spectrum School and Gallery.
✍️ Writers Groups & Literary Organizations
Kenosha-Racine Poet Laureate Program: A civic partnership honoring regional poets who serve as literary ambassadors for the twin cities. The Poets Laureate advocate for literary arts across Racine and Kenosha counties.
Black Arts Council of Racine (Racine, WI): A community advocacy and cultural organization dedicated to celebrating, promoting, and preserving Black artistic excellence across Racine and Southeastern Wisconsin. The Council sponsors community poetry readings, Black history arts showcases, youth creative workshops, and interdisciplinary performances. Follow via Black Arts Council of Racine Facebook. or Instagram
POET (People of Extraordinary Talent) - Wisconsin Branch: The Wisconsin state chapter of POET is a collective of spoken word artists, poets, musicians, and performers focused on youth empowerment, creative expression, and community healing through performance arts. The organization hosts regional poetry slams, youth open mics, and school workshops across Racine and Kenosha. Learn more at POET Official Website.
ArtRoot (Racine, WI): A non-profit arts organization fostering creative community development in Racine. ArtRoot sponsors the ArtRoot Writer-in-Residence program, curates the ArtRoot Wall Poems public art project, and hosts casual ArtRoot Mixers connecting poets with visual and performing artists. Reach out via email at info@artroot.org or learn more at ArtRoot Racine.
Racine Arts Council & ArtSeed Grant Program (300 5th St, Racine, WI 53403): Supporting visual, performing, and literary artists across Racine County. The Racine Arts Council administers the annual ArtSeed Grant program, providing micro-grants and funding directly to local poets, writers, and arts organizations to launch innovative community-based literary projects, workshops, and public readings. Phone: (262) 635-0932. Email: art@racineartscouncil.org. Visit Racine Arts Council Grants.
The Poetry Movement (Fiscal Agent: Racine Arts Council): A dedicated non-profit literary organization building poetry infrastructure across the Chicago–Milwaukee corridor through no-fee publishing, public transit bus poetry, and community workshops. Connect via The Poetry Movement.
Family Power Music: A Kenosha and Racine-based arts collective providing educational, entertainment, and artist development services, including open mics, poetry workshops, and youth creative arts programs. Contact via phone at (262) 995-5800 or email info@familypowermusic.com. Explore Family Power Music.
Kenosha Writers Guild: A regional writers' group meeting monthly at public library branches for peer critique, manuscript reviews, and craft discussions. Find group listings on Wisconsin Writers Association.
🎓 Creative Writing Programs, Workshops & Classes
Gateway Technical College - Liberal Arts / Liberal Studies Concentration (Racine Campus: 1001 S Main St, Racine, WI 53403 / Kenosha Campus: 3520 30th Ave, Kenosha, WI 53144): Gateway Technical College offers Associate of Arts (AA) and Associate of Science (AS) degree pathways in Liberal Arts and Liberal Studies. The program features foundational coursework in creative writing, poetry composition, and literature, offering students seamless transfer options to four-year universities alongside campus poetry readings. Phone: 1-800-247-7122. Explore the curriculum at Gateway Technical College Liberal Arts.
University of Wisconsin-Parkside Department of English (900 Wood Rd, Kenosha, WI 53144): UW-Parkside offers undergraduate creative writing concentrations in poetry, fiction, and screenwriting. The campus regularly hosts the Visiting Writers Series and student poetry readings. Phone: (262) 595-2339. Explore UW-Parkside English.
Carthage College Department of English (2001 Alford Park Dr, Kenosha, WI 53140): Carthage features poetry craft courses, literary translation seminars, and guest author readings overlooking Lake Michigan. Phone: (262) 551-5800. View academic tracks at Carthage College English.
Community Workshops at Spectrum School of the Arts: Located at The DeKoven Center, 2050 Wisconsin Ave, Racine, WI 53403, offering creative arts workshops, life drawing, and community literary gatherings. Contact (262) 634-4345. Visit Spectrum School and Gallery.
📰 Publishers, Literary Magazines & Presses
Red Hawk Review (Gateway Technical College): Red Hawk Review is Gateway Technical College’s official student literary and arts journal. Published annually, the magazine showcases original poetry, flash fiction, creative essays, and visual art submitted by Gateway students, faculty, and staff across the Racine, Kenosha, and Walworth county campuses. View submission guidelines and past issues at Gateway Technical College Red Hawk Review Page.
Paper Knives / Boxcutter Magazine: The publishing imprint of The Poetry Movement based in Racine, WI, offering no-fee poetry submissions, paid contributor opportunities (Boxcutter Magazine), and chapbook publishing for Midwestern poets. Learn more at Paper Knives.
Straylight Literary Magazine: The national student-edited literary journal published at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, printing contemporary poetry, fiction, and visual art. Contact the editors via email at straylight@uwp.edu. Submit work via Straylight Magazine.
Centrique Literary Magazine Centrique is Carthage College’s student-run literary and visual arts journal, published annually by the Department of English. The magazine features original poetry, short fiction, creative nonfiction, photography, and artwork submitted by Carthage undergraduate students. Centrique provides emerging student writers and editors with hands-on experience in publishing, layout, and literary curation. Submission guidelines, current digital editions, and editorial contacts are available via the Carthage College Centrique Page.
The Poetry Underground at Carthage The Poetry Underground is a student-led literary organization and creative writing circle based at Carthage College in Kenosha, WI (2001 Alford Park Dr, Kenosha, WI 53140). Meeting regularly during the academic year, the group hosts informal poetry workshops, student-led write-ins, and campus open mic nights open to writers across all disciplines. It offers an inclusive, relaxed third space for students to share works-in-progress, test out spoken word material, and collaborate on literary zines. Connect with the organization and view meeting schedules on the Carthage College Student Organizations Directory.
