Midwest Video Poetry Fest

Arts + Literature Laboratory has brought creativity and community into the lives of thousands of people during our first four years in Madison through exhibitions, concerts, readings, and education programming for all ages. We bring together world-class artists, emerging and local artists, writers, musicians, and audiences for approximately two hundred events each year. In 2020, we moved to a new, larger location and launched the Midwest Video Poetry Fest. Video poetry gives creators an opportunity to use one of our newest art forms--film--to expand one of our oldest art forms—poetry. This emerging and exciting format is adding to the rapidly growing audience for poetry in America. Leading up to the screenings, which will be part of the Wisconsin Book Festival in October of this year, Arts + Literature Laboratory (ALL) will be hosting free poetry video making workshops and featuring video poetry on our ALL Review. MVPF is the first of its kind in Wisconsin and will present the work of local, national, and international poets and filmmakers. All events will be free and open to the public. CATEGORIES Though this is a screening in the Midwest, we are seeking work from poets, filmmakers and artists from around the country, and even from around the world. We are particularly interested in under-represented voices and works in any of the following categories: Originals: Original poem and moving images created by the artist(s). Artist(s) may collaborate with each other to create the original work. Adaptations: The artist(s) may use a poem that exists in the public domain and/or has written permission for use of the work by the copyright holder. Midwest's Own: A work that significantly features the Midwest or a place within the Midwest or where the artist(s) a) lives in the Midwest at the time of their submission; b) was born in the Midwest; or c) has lived for a significant period (two years or more) in the Midwest. Translations: Original work that an artist has translated from another language into English or English to another language. If the audio is spoken in another language, please use English subtitles as our judges are primarily English speakers. Student Work: Work created by current students or individuals that were students when the work was created. A copy of student ID or current letter of enrollment from the school the individual is attending or has attended. You may upload a picture of either one on your FilmFreeway project page, under Files & Attachments. Poetic Videos: Work that uses poetic structures or forms or is poetically informed in some manner. If your work does not fit the other categories and is poetically experimental in nature, submit your work to this category.