Creative Colloquy Draws Crowd to Local Café in Support of Local Writers

At 6:00 pm on Monday May 25, 2015, B-Sharp Café was already begin­ning to fill. The café hosts a monthly reading for a literary arts magazine called Creative Colloquy, which is based in Tacoma. Although Monday was a holiday, B-Sharp housed about 50 literary minds who came together to read, share, and listen.

Creative Colloquy, founded in Feb­ruary 2014 by Jackie Fender, aims to be “a platform to highlight literary talent in the South Sound.” Along with literary work published in a print jour­nal last year, Creative Colloquy pub­lishes new fiction and non-fiction online twice monthly. Their online publishing has featured many UW Tacoma students including Tien Tay­lor, Nick Stillman, Nicole McCarthy, Chelsea Vitone, and James Nordlund.

Professors are getting in on the ac­tion too. At the most recent gathering on May 25, 2015, one of UW Tacoma’s Writing Studies professors, Janie Mill­er, was a featured reader. In addition, Creative Colloquy published a nature essay by Prof. Miller in April. When asked about Creative Colloquy, Prof. Miller says, “They simply love good stories, and how stories unite people. CC will feature accomplished and emerging writers side by side, encour­aging conversation amongst them. This is extremely important in foster­ing trust in the literary community rather than hierarchy.”

This inclusion of emerging writers is one of the best things about Creative Colloquy. They provide a much need­ed platform for emerging and strug­gling writers to get work out there, see some recognition, and to take part in a writing community that is already here in Tacoma. Prof Miller also says, “CC is a place for the Tacoma literary regulars, spoken word performers and emerging voices from places such as UWT. My hope is that CC will help to unite the literary branches of Tacoma, and strengthen the city’s artistic re­solve.” That artistic resolve is most certainly strengthening in part because of organizations like Creative Collo­quy.

For students at UW Tacoma look­ing for a home for their creative work or seeking the literary community here in the South Sound, there are several ways to get involved with Creative Col­loquy. Perhaps the easiest way to get involved is to submit creative work. Submissions are open year around and new stories are published twice monthly. Readings like the one on May 25th happen on the fourth Monday of every month and all are welcome to attend. After featured readers, the stage opens up to anyone willing to share at the microphone. Creative Colloquy will also be organizing the first ever Tacoma Lit Crawl this October. No matter how students decide to get in­volved, Creative Colloquy is a valuable resource and platform for anyone who is passionate about the literary arts.