The Lydia M. Olson Library is hosting a blackout poetry and collage workshop on Wednesday, April 6 from 2-4 p.m. on the main floor of the library. This event is free for all students and community members to come and enjoy the art of blackout poetry and collage making.

The workshop will take place outside of the Student Art Gallery (SAG) and is open to
everyone with any experience level. Old books, newspapers, and all other materials will be
provided at the event. This workshop is being held in honor of April being national poetry
month, said Hannah Hale, the organizer of this event.

“Blackout poetry is when you repurpose an old book, newspaper, or other text to create something new by choosing certain words to keep and then blacking out the others. You are left with essentially a new poem of your own. It is a little cryptic but that is one of the reasons why I enjoy it,” Hale said.

Emily Seven, a senior majoring in multimedia journalism, used to do blackout poetry with her mom when she was younger.

“I am looking forward to making art with my friends to take my mind off of school for a little bit,” Seven said.

Participants can create any work from the provided materials, which doesn’t just include
blackout poetry. Collage making will also be available so people can get creative in a number of
different ways. Hale said participants can create blackout poetry for as long as they want to, and don’t need to stay the entire two hours.

“There is no pressure to create something perfect. We want to provide a creative outlet if
you are feeling stressed. I think that it could really inspire someone for a new hobby,” Hale said.

Students can register for the event on The Hub or can simply show up on the day of the event.