LA GRANDE — Anis Mojgani, Oregon Poet Laureate, will present a poetry reading on Friday, March 17, at 7 p.m. at Art Center East, 1006 Penn Ave.

Mojgani is a spoken word poet, visual artist, and musician whose performance at ACE coincides with the center’s 7th-annual fiber arts and jewelry exhibit. The reading and exhibit are free and open to the public.

The 2023 edition of the exhibit, on display now through the end of March, has the theme “Living Rural: Poetry in Fiber.”

Mojgani’s performance on March 17 is “a wonderful opportunity for community members to hear Anis’ fantastic poetry and view beautiful fiber and jewelry artworks inspired by poems that the artists chose themselves,” said Moira Madden, ACE outreach coordinator.

Mojgani

Mojgani, a two-time individual champion of the National Poetry Slam and an International World Cup Poetry Slam winner, was named Oregon’s 10th poet laureate in April 2020. Born in New Orleans to Black and Iranian parents, Mojgani is the author of five books of poetry. He has also done commissioned work for the Getty Museum and the Peabody Essex Museum, and written the libretto for a jazz chamber opera, “Sanctuaries.”

Mojgani has performed at universities, festivals and venues around the globe for audiences as varied as the House of Blues and the United Nations. His work has appeared on HBO, National Public Radio, as part of the Academy of American Poets Poem-A-Day series and in the pages of such journals as Rattle, Platypus, Winter Tangerine, Forklift Ohio and Bat City Review.

According to ACE, the Oregon Poet Laureate is “an ambassador of poetry across the state and fosters the art of poetry, encourages literacy and learning, addresses central issues relating to humanities and heritage, and reflects on public life in Oregon.”

The Poet Laureate program is a collaborative project of the state’s five statewide cultural partners: Oregon Arts Commission, Oregon Heritage Commission, Oregon Historical Society, Oregon Humanities and the State Historic Preservation Office.

The program is funded by the Oregon Cultural Trust and managed by Oregon Humanities. More information and program history can be found at oregonpoetlaureate.org.