upcoming events & opportunities
Days of Wonder:
it is time to be very tender with our grief
Sunday June 21 + Monday June 22: two performances of Days of Wonder by Marty McConnell at Elastic Arts in Chicago
For the past year or so I’ve been developing this performance piece that explores curiosity and interconnectedness as methods of moving into and through personal, societal, and global sorrow, survival, and co-evolution. “Days of Wonder: it is time to be very tender with our grief” is an immersive performance experience; I will perform text accompanied by music by Patrick Wojtak and film by Lindsey Dorr-Niro.
Tickets are $15 but please don’t let cost be a barrier; no-questions-asked ticket waivers are available by emailing me at martyoutloud@gmail.com.
Get your tickets for Sunday’s show here or Monday’s show here.
Check out an excerpt from the show here!
Rise & Write
Every Friday in June, 9-10 a.m. central
Spend an hour of your Friday morning on Zoom talking about poetry and writing! Totally pay what you will, totally cool. See you there!
Register for one or all here.
DETAILS:
Explore new writing techniques, tread new imaginative territory, and connect with like-minded and differently-minded writers!
Rise & Write is for you whether you're a seasoned writer or brand new to the craft. While the sessions are centered on poetry, the writing prompt is designed to fit any style or genre of writing and launch you into the writing process -- whether that produces a poem, an essay, a story, or an undiscovered form is between you and the page!
We start with discussion of a published poem to get our minds awakened and creative juices juicing, then move into a guided exploratory writing prompt. To get a sense of what these prompts are like, pop on over to this link and scroll to the bottom of the page where a whole packet of them lives. For more information about me, your facilitator, check out www.martyoutloud.com.
The workshops are completely donation-based; suggested minimum contribution is $10 , but you can pay as little as $1 to register. Truly do not let cost be the barrier, email martyoutloud@gmail.com to skip paying entirely.
Spectral Psalm
My wife, the brilliant artist Lindsey Dorr-Niro, has an exhibition at Compound Yellow in Chicago this May/June. Check it out at the opening May 23, during open hours on Saturdays, and/or come by for one of the activations: Saturday June 6 with musicians Zander Raymond and Erik Kramer, or June 13 with the two of us leading meditations, reflections, and an event-closing performance.
Marty + Lindsey activation June 13, 4-7 p.m.
4-6 p.m. — meditation, writing practices
6 p.m. — performance
at Compound Yellow
244 Lake St., Oak Park, IL, 60302
Blatant Gold
featuring Mayda del Valle
Every year, the Chicago Poetry Center’s summer poetry gathering brings together the city’s literary community. In 2026, Blatant Gold features Chicago Poet Laureate Mayda del Valle and honors Musu Bangura, recipient of the Gwendolyn Brooks Award for Excellence in Teaching. Join us for an open mic, watch performances by the featured poets, and raise a glass to the writers, readers, and teachers of Chicago poetry. Hosted by Marty McConnell.
Tuesday, June 9, 6pm – 9pm
Haymarket House, 800 W. Buena Ave.
6pm – open mic
7pm – readings + award
8pm – community hour