Where We Live
NEA Big Read – Events and Reading Series
Taos, NM
March 1 – April 30, 2025
Family activities, workshops, media, and book discussions centered on the theme, “Where We Live,” and Ross Gay’s Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude.
Featured writers
Jimmy Santiago Baca is an award-winning American poet and writer of Chicano descent.
While serving a five-year sentence in a maximum security prison, he learned to read and began to turn his life around, eventually emerging as a prolific artist of the spoken and written word. He is a winner of the prestigious International Award for his memoir, “A Place to Stand,” the story of which is now also a documentary by the same title.
Anna Martinez is a slam/performance/ competitive poet and civil rights attorney. She has held titles as ABQ Chicano/a City Slam Champ, XXX Haiku City Champ, and 2019 City Slam Champ for team Mindwell Slam. She is also on the board of directors for Burque Revolt Poetry Slam. She lives in Albuquerque.
Rachel Coventry lives in Galway. She holds a PhD in Heidegger’s poetics from the National University of Ireland, Galway. Her poems have appeared in various journals including The North, The Moth, Poetry Ireland Review, Cyphers, Stand, Southword, The Irish Times, and The Shop.
Schedule of Events
MARCH
3/7
4-7pm – Teen Art Lab @ Harwood
In conjunction with the Taos Public Library Teen Art Contest, the Harwood is offering drop-in studio time for teens. Join one of our Teaching Artists and make space to work on your creative projects with full access to our studio supplies. This year’s theme is “Where We Live.”
3/8
10am – 4pm- Big Read Kick Off Event @ Taos Public Library
11am – 1pm – Activities w/ Twirl
11am – SeedBroadcast Story Circle
Join us in kicking off with The Big Read at the library with FREE book giveaways, a SeedBroadcast Seed Story Circle and activities with Twirl!
SeedBroadcast will be leading a Seed Story Circle at the beginning of the “Big Read” community seed exchange. Bring seeds, stories, and dreams for the upcoming gardening season. Everyone is encouraged to participate, regardless of having seeds to share. SeedBroadcast is a collaborative project founded on the wisdom of seeds. Learn more at seedbroadcast.org
3/13
4- 5:30pm – Querencia en Poesía: a sense of homeland and place
Workshop and share-out of a youth poetry project by Miguel Santistevan, 4th Taos Poet Laureate @Taos Public Library
3/14 & 3/16
1:30pm, Family Art Lab – SPECTACOLOR w/ Twirl @ Harwood
Twirl is bringing SPECTACOLOR to the Harwood! Discover the art of “Charles Ross: Mansions of the Zodiac,” while exploring why and how we see colors and how to make and change them.
3/19
3pm – StoryFest w/ Amber Vasquez @ Twirl
Live Storytelling by Amber Vasquez and The Yarn Spinners Storytellers. Enjoy a thematic craft and engaging literacy activities in collaboration with Taos Behavioral Health, CLSD, Twirl and The Big Read. Families of Children age 0-12
3/20
3pm – StoryFest w/ Erica Collins @ Twirl
Live Reading by Erica Collins of her book Summer of the Dolphins, plus a themed craft and children’s literacy activities in partnership with Taos Behavioral Health, CLSD, Twirl and The Big Read. Families of Children age 0-12
3/21
3pm StoryFest w/ Jocelyn Harper @ Twirl
Reading by Jocelyn Harper of her book Black & White, a tiny baby book. This baby specific story will be followed by a baby activities and literacy activities with Taos Behavioral Health, CLSD, and The Big Read. Families of Children age 0-12
3/23
1pm – Teen Art Lab @ Harwood Museum
In conjunction with the Taos Public Library Teen Art Contest, the Harwood is offering drop-in studio time for teens. Join one of our Teaching Artists and make space to work on your creative projects with full access to our studio supplies. This year’s theme is “Where We Live.”
3/26
7pm – Jimmy Santiago Baca, Anna Martinex and Miguel Santistevan @TCA
3/27
5pm – Book Discussion w/ David Perez & Jimmy Santiago Baca: Ross Gay’s Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude
3/31
Submission Deadline for Where We Live Open Screen Short Films & Open Call for Writing
APRIL
4/5
10am – Young Writers Workshop w/ Olivia Romo @ SOMOS
4pm – Poet Roundtable Discussion & Share Out w/ Olivia Romo, Lise Goett, & Sawnie Morris @ SOMOS
4/11 & 4/13
1:30pm, Family Art Lab: Papermaking @ Harwood Museum
4/17
4 – 6pm – Youth Art Show: Where We Live @ TCA Encore Gallery
4/17
7pm, Open Screen: Where We Live w/ TK1 @ TCA
4/22
All day – Earth Day Activities, all ages @ Rio Fernando Park
4/25
5:30 pm – Reading w/ Rachel Coventry @ SOMOS
4/26
9-12pm – Creative Writing Workshop w/ Rachel Coventry @ SOMOS
4/27
4pm – Film Screening: Georgia O’Keeffe: The Brightness of Light w/ post screening TAAC Talk @ TCA
ONGOING
Storytime!
Tuesdays, 10:30 am – Bilingual Storytime @ Taos Public Library
Stories, songs and crafts in English & Spanish
Thursdays, 10:30 am – Storytime @ Taos Public Library
Art Exhibitions
April 5 – April 19 – Youth Art Competition Exhibition @ Taos Public Library
April 17 – May 18 – Where We Live Youth Art Exhibition @ Encore Gallery, TCA
Theme : Where We Live
Open Call for Writing – 300 words or less, all genres, all styles
Open Screen – Short Films, 15 mins or less, all genres
Submission Deadline: March 31, 2025