Event Type
As part of Louisiana State Poet Laureate, Alison Pelegrin’s Lifelines Poetry Project and in partnership with the New Orleans Poetry Festival, Louisiana State Penitentiary—commonly known as Angola—opens its gates to poetry in an unprecedented event of artistic expression and solidarity. This landmark performance brings together renowned poets to transform a space long defined by confinement into one of creativity and shared humanity. This represents a bold step forward in recognizing the role of art in healing, rehabilitation, and social change. By bringing poetry into Angola, the event challenges boundaries—both literal and figurative—offering a glimpse of freedom through language and imagination. This program is made possible by the generous support of the Academy of American Poets and the Mellon Foundation.