“Art, Freedom, and Democracy—Can They All Exist Together?” with Writer and Activist Kevin Powell Fall 2026 Poet-and-Scholar-in-Residence

Writer and activist Kevin Powell will serve as Pratt Institute’s Poet-and-Scholar-in-Residence during the Fall 2026 semester. Through four interactive, two-hour workshops, Pratt students will work directly with Powell and peers from across the Institute. Students will explore how creative expression connects with democracy, leadership, identity, voting, civic engagement, and community participation.

Each workshop will combine dialogue, reflection, creative exploration, and hands-on work. Students will have dedicated time to create or develop written, visual, performance-based, or other creative work connected to the session’s theme.

Students will have the opportunities to:

• Learn directly from an accomplished writer, poet, filmmaker, journalist, educator, and activist
• Explore how creative practice can connect with leadership, identity, democracy, and civic life
• Develop a creative idea or project across multiple sessions
• Exchange perspectives with students from different disciplines
• Strengthen their ability to discuss the purpose and public impact of their work
• Meet other Pratt students interested in art, culture, leadership, and community
• Develop work that could contribute to a portfolio, performance, exhibition, publication, or future project
• Be considered for an opportunity to present work during the November 4 closing program

Why attend all four workshops?

The workshops are designed as one connected creative experience rather than four unrelated events. Each session introduces a new theme while giving students time to revisit 0and deepen ideas developed during earlier workshops.

Students who attend the complete series will have more time to learn and create with Kevin Powell, develop their work through several stages, connect with a recurring group of peers, and explore how the residency’s four themes relate to their own creative practices.

Students are strongly encouraged to register for and attend all four workshops for the fullest experience. Students who cannot attend every session are still welcome to participate in the workshops they can attend.

No previous workshop, writing, performance, or artistic experience is required. The series is open to Pratt students from every school, department, major, and year.

Workshop Format

All workshops will be interactive and designed for Pratt students. Each session will include time to create or develop a written, visual, performance-based, or other creative response connected to the workshop theme. No previous experience is required.

Workshop Schedule

Tuesday, September 1 | Art, Freedom, and Democracy—Can They All Exist Together?
Alumni Reading Room (3rd Floor of Pratt Library) | 11:30 AM -1:30 PM

What does it mean to choose the life of an artist or designer? This workshop asks how creative work can contribute to conversations about freedom and democracy—and how art can help make both more meaningful and accessible for everyone.

Tuesday, September 15 | Who and What Is a Leader?
Alumni Reading Room (3rd Floor of Pratt Library) | 11:30 AM -1:30 PM

We hear the word “leader” throughout our lives, but what does leadership actually mean? Participants will examine leadership in small and large ways and consider how it connects to their lives as students, artists, and members of multiple communities.

Tuesday, October 6 | Not Like Us: What Do Culture and Identity Mean to You?
Alumni Reading Room (3rd Floor of Pratt Library) | 11:30 AM -1:30 PM

Inspired by former New York City Mayor David Dinkins’s description of the city as “a gorgeous mosaic,” this workshop explores culture, identity, self-knowledge, and the courage to cross cultural boundaries and learn from people whose experiences differ from our own.

Tuesday, October 20 | Why Voting and Civic Engagement Matter
Student Union | 11:30 AM -1:30 PM

This workshop moves past slogans to examine voting from multiple angles—its possibilities, its limitations, and the choices people make about participation. Students will consider what civic engagement means for creatives and how their presence and actions affect the communities where they live, work, and study.

Monday, November 2 | Student Union | 6:00–8:00 p.m.

Students who attended and participated in the workshops will be invited to perform or showcase a piece they created or developed during the workshop sessions. This will be an informal space to listen and learn from all workshop participants.

Registration is encouraged but not required. All Pratt students are welcome, regardless of discipline, major, school, or year.

REGISTER AND SELECT THE SESSIONS YOU PLAN TO ATTEND.

About Kevin Powell

Kevin Powell is a GRAMMY-nominated poet; the director, co-writer, and co-producer of the documentary When We Free the World; and the author of 17 books, including A Poem for Evangeline and Other Songs. He is also the playwright of the forthcoming musical and choreopoem Grocery Shopping with My Mother, a Webby Award-winning opinion columnist for Newsweek, and the author of a forthcoming biography of Tupac Shakur.

The Poet-and-Scholar-in-Residence program is presented by the Office of Engagement, Culture & Community in partnership with the School of Art; the School of Liberal Arts and Sciences; the Writing Department; the Department of Social Science & Cultural Studies; Pratt Presents; and the Office of Student Involvement.

For questions about the Poet-and-Scholar-in-Residence program, email campus-community@pratt.edu.

Accessibility

Pratt Institute is committed to providing an accessible experience for all community members. Use the optional accessibility section of the registration form to request a disability-related accommodation or email accessibility@pratt.edu to share any specific access needs.