About POG

Our Mission

POG present the work of both innovative poets and local poets and practitioners of other art forms, attracting a diverse audience in diverse Tucson communities.  POG’s premise is that experimental, innovative art, and in particular avant-garde poetry, can successfully be presented to a diverse and increasingly engaged audience, and that such audience engagement with challenging but not inaccessible work tends to broaden people socio-politically as well as culturally. 

Presenting cutting edge programs that present challenging, avant-garde work is the heart of our mission.  We bring to the thriving Tucson poetry community a range of internationally visible, innovative artists whose work is significantly different from that presented by other Tucson poetry organizations.

Our Beginnings

POG began in 1996, a project envisioned by Tenney Nathanson, Cynthia Miller, and Charles Alexander. From the beginning we have focused on bringing innovative poetry and poetics projects to Tucson, particularly projects not well represented by local poetry groups, or university or college programs. Each year since then, we have brought 10 or more visiting poets and artists to Tucson, often presenting them with local artists in readings, performances, workshops, and other projects.

Our Directors

Our directors are poets, artists, and others interested in the arts. The current board of directors includes:

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• Tenney Nathanson

• Cynthia Miller

• Steven Salmoni

• Charles Alexander

• Lisa Martin

• David Weiss

• John Mellilo

• Johanna Skibsrud

We are in the process of expanding our board. If you are interested in joining, please contact us.

Associates & Volunteers

• Maryrose Larkin (Special Consultant)

Special Thanks

POG offers its deepest thanks to some of the following organizations and individuals, who help make this work possible:

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• Arizona Commission on the Arts

• Poets & Writers

• WAMO & Jim Wilcox

• Chax Press

• Kore Press

• UA Poetry Center

• Casa Libre en la Solana

• Charles Alexander & Cynthia Miller

• Lynn Finger

• Joan Larkin

• Lisa Martin

• Judith LeFevre

POG Advisors

We talk to arts community members throughout the USA and beyond, including local artists and supporters, former presenters in the arts, and others who help us plan our activities. Currently our advisors include:

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Samuel Ace, Trace Peterson, Brian Blanchfield, John Melillo, Farid Matuk, Susan Briante, Maryrose Larkin, Yanara Friedland, Ron Silliman, Charles Bernstein, Karen Brennan, Sheila Murphy, Pierre Joris, Nicole Peyrafitte, Tracie Morris, Erica Hunt, Sue Carnahan, Sherwin Bitsui, Rodrigo Toscano, Norman Fischer, Gwen Ray, Cameron Quan Louie and more.

Consider Getting Involved

Please, join us in our work of enlivening and educating through innovative poetry! Our monthly performances are always open to the public and we'd love to see you there. POG is able to offer these events thanks to your generosity, and we deeply appreciate donations!