In Focus: Watermark Art Center Holds Spooky Story SLAM in Time for Halloween

Bemidji’s Watermark Art Center presented their latest Story SLAM event last Thursday at Keg N’ Cork under the theme “SPOOKED,” just in time for the month of October and for Halloween.

Every month, the Watermark Art Center hosts a spoken word or Story SLAM event to give people in the community an opportunity to tell their own tales.

“[There’s a] really robust writing community and literary community in Bemidji and the greater area,” said Leah Grunzke, Watermark’s Outreach Coordinator. “And this is one of the only series that I know of that specifically focuses on the spoken word, getting performers up and not singing, not acting, but reading their writing or telling their stories from their heart.”

The Watermark Story SLAM events include authentic personal stories presented live from memory in a friendly competition, where anyone with a story to tell is invited to take the stage. When developing their story, performers are encouraged to consider each event’s theme.

“What storytelling does in its basic form is connect people to each other, especially with personal tales,” said Story Slam SPOOKED host Ann Marie Newman. “You’re learning something about somebody when you come to a story slam, and when you leave, you’re less strangers because now you know each other a little bit better.”

If you’d like to watch or participate in the Watermark Art Center’s next spoken word get-together, you can visit their website to get more information on their upcoming events.