Bent: A Writing Institute

Seattle, WA – Come bask in the brilliance, revel in the rhyme,
and celebrate the spoken word as Bent, the nation’s only queer
writing institute, returns to the stage for its sixth annual Mentor
Showcase, honoring Detroit Poetry Slam Champion D. Blair.

Bent, “the little queer writing institute that could ”, continues to
support up-and-coming writers as they put voice to queer
experiences. In the past year alone, Bent has been represented
at the National Poetry Slam, the San Francisco Queer Arts
Festival, QueerFest Seattle, Seattle Black Pride, Seattle Poetry
Festival, Reed College, University of Washington, Seattle University,
and the Skagit County Human Rights Week.

As a part of the 2007 Bent Mentor Showcase more than thirty
outstanding local poets and performers will take the stage for two
nights this November in Piggott Auditorium on the Seattle University
Campus, along with honored mentor D. Blair.

D. Blair is a poet, singer-songwriter, performer, and spoken word
artist from Detroit whose work, in the word s of Detroit’s Metro Times,
"focuses on the hope that rises from the ashes of despair." According
to Real Detroit Weekly, “Blair is a Detroit artist that cannot be overlooked
” whose work is “a set of experimental confessionals born of
uncompromising soul an d unmatched lyrical weight.”

Blair’s work and talent have led him to the titles of National Poetry
Slam Champion (2002 Team Detroit) and Detroit Grand Slam Champion
(2003). He's been named Best Solo Artist by the Real Detroit Weekly
Readers' Poll and has inspired writers and reviewers across the country
and around the world .

The 2007 Bent Mentor Showcase is an opportunity to hear the words
and work of an incredibly gifted, powerful, and nationally renowned
word smith as well as the voices of emerging and acclaimed local
queer writers. These artists are rising to the challenge of articulating
the kaleidoscope of beauty and difficulty of lives lived upon the ever
shifting boundaries of queer identities.

In addition to the Showcase performances on Friday, November 9th
and Saturday, November 10th, Blair will be facilitating a writing workshop
on Sunday, November 11th.

Tickets to both evenings of the Bent Mentor Showcase and to the Mentor
Writing Workshop are available at www.brownpapertickets.com