Join fellow poetry enthusiasts for a reading by featured local poet, James Collins!

James Collins has had multiple careers in the arts, business and music industries. As a published writer since 16, Collins was an Artist-in-Education for 6 years for Tampa, FL and St. Petersburg, FL Art Councils, teaching poetry and creative writing in both school systems, been published in various magazines but has been too busy to continue that pursuit, opting for publishing three books of Poetry. Poems from the Wild River of Life, My Piece of Sky, and Spirit of a Man, are all available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc.

Collins taught acting classes at Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater, FL and became the Cultural Arts Specialist for the City Of Largo, FL, writing, directing, and producing plays. The Pinellas Academy of Performing Arts was born from this and continued for three years. Collins also directed plays in Florida and Southern California and had some close calls with screenwriting success during his three years out there.

In Nashville, Collins has had a couple of songs on hold and held many poetry readings at Scarritt Bennett Center and elsewhere. Collins has also taught classes at Scarritt Bennett Center in improving the art of reading poetry. Collins has also been a builder in three states, worked in Adverting in Tampa with writing, producing and directing national TV & radio commercials.

Watch Online

Stream Live: on our Facebook page at 7:00 pm CDT. No login or account registration necessary to view the reading. A recording of the reading will be available on our Facebook page and YouTube channel after the live-stream ends.

Watch in Person

Harambee Auditorium in Fondren Hall (see campus map). Parking on campus is free and available in Parking Lot A. Masks and social distancing required per CDC guidelines.

For more information about this event, email Rev. Donna Patterson at [email protected].