Citywide Poets sites for the 2022/23 school year are kicking off with virtual and face-to-face options and will run from October 2022–June 2023!

What is Citywide Poets?

Citywide Poets is InsideOut’s award-winning afterschool program, providing teens with a literary community to collaboratively explore their lives through the written and spoken word.

By participating in intensive artistic mentorship, publication, and performance opportunities, Citywide Poets cultivates a youth-driven narrative for the future of Detroit, rooted in their creativity and artistry.

Program Highlights

Weekly Sessions

Professional Writers lead weekly writing workshops where teens have the opportunity to create new pieces, improve their writing, discover published and performing writers, and bond with peers.

Visiting Writer Series

Students meet and work with visiting artists who have extensive publishing and/or performance experience at monthly workshops and open mics.

Publication

All active Citywide Poets are invited to be published in our annual program-wide student poetry anthology.

Youth Advisory Board

Interested students can develop leadership and professional skills by presenting youth-led programming and influencing the design of InsideOut’s programs.

Performance Troupe

Students can participate in an annual competition to join our Performance Troupe, which provides additional weekly artistic mentorship and public performance opportunities.

Annual Scholarship

High school seniors who participate in Citywide Poets are eligible to apply for the CWP Scholarship, which covers college tuition for up to $25,000 per year, for up to four years