Bill Savage and More to Chat Literature & Poetry for HCL 'Cultural Conversations'

On Saturday, May 7, High Concept Labs (HCL), Northwestern University School of Professional Studies, and The Point Magazine present a day-long symposium on the relevance of Literature and Poetry at Mana Contemporary Chicago. A panel of poets and writers, including prominent academic Bill Savage, will discuss the contemporary relevance of their practice, and members of Young Chicago Authors (creators of Louder Than A Bomb Poetry Festival) will present a complimentary performance.

"We're thrilled to be partnering with Northwestern and The Point Magazine to offer audiences a vibrant presentation on the importance of literature and poetry," says HCL Executive Director Steven Wang. "This year's Cultural Conversation continues a strong tradition of facilitating dialogue between our audiences and important panelists on contemporary issues and topics."

HCL's Cultural Conversations engage audiences, artists, and institutions with in-depth panels and presentations on a variety of current topics in the arts. The full day of events includes panel discussions with leaders in the field, a complimentary lunch, and performances to round out and apply the presented material. Interactive sessions and networking opportunities provide growth for artistic communities and foster further development of the field.

Panelists for the event include:

- Bill Savage,? Associate Professor of Instruction in the English Department at Northwestern University. Savage teaches the literatures of the Lost and Beat Generations, as well as Chicago writers and urban studies, especially vernacular architecture, and the deeper meanings of hot dog stands and saloons.

- Kevin Coval,? poet, author, and founder of Louder Than A Bomb (LTAB): The Chicago Youth Poetry Festival, the world's largest youth poetry festival.

- Poet A?ricka Foreman ?is a Cave Canem graduate fellow and Callaloo fellow, and the author ofDream With A Glass Chamber?from YesYes Books. Detroit-raised and Chicago-based, Foreman is the Art co-editor at T?he Offing.?

- Marty McConnell?, a Chicago-based coach for individuals and groups building thriving, sustainable lives and organizations.

- C. Russell Price,? an Appalachian genderqueer punk performance poet who lives in Chicago.

- Bea Malsky ?is an associate editor at The Point Magazine, where she works with a wide range of literary criticism, philosophical memoir, and cultural analysis.

Tickets for the May 7 event may be purchased with a suggested donation of $10. For more information about C?ultural Conversation: What Are Poetry & Literature For?,?visit highconceptlabs.org/event/event/cultural-conversations-what-are-literature-poetry-for.?

The Point Magazine?is a print and digital magazine of philosophical writing that embodies two distinct but complementary convictions: on the one hand, that humanistic thinking has relevance for contemporary life; on the other, that our lives are full of experiences worth thinking about. The Point adheres to no specific political or social agenda; instead, we ask our readers to participate in a dialogue between diverse intellectual traditions, personalities and points of view. The goal is a society where the examined life is not an abstract ideal but an everyday practice.

Northwestern University?is committed to excellent teaching, innovative research, and the personal and intellectual growth of its students in a diverse academic community.

Young Chicago Authors? (YCA), founded in 1991, is a not-for-profit organization that engages youth in the act of telling their own stories through the exploration of writing forms such as: spoken word, investigative and verse journalism, playwriting, fiction, and realist portraiture.

Louder Than A Bomb ?(LTAB) is a month-long festival showcasing writers and performance and the world's largest youth poetry slam. LTAB celebrates YCA's programming and directly serves more than 10,000 teens each year across 120 different Chicagoland zip codes, letting them know that their stories are essential while sharing tools and approaches for how to contribute their narratives to the city-wide and national conversations about youth, culture, and society.

High Concept Labs? (HCL) s?upports artists and facilitates dialogue between artists, audiences, and staff. This increases access and transparency to the artistic process and fosters transformational experiences in an environment of experimentation and discovery. For more information, visit ?h?ighconceptlabs.org. HCL is based at Mana Contemporary Chicago in the Pilsen neighborhood, at 2233 S. Throop St. Chicago, Illinois 60608.