Gwendolyn Brooks Open Mic Awards Live!

Date: Thursday, October 2nd, 2025

Doors: 5:00PM to Venue | 5:30PM to Sanctuary

Showtime: 6:00PM

Tickets: Advanced - $15 | Day of Show - $20

‘Service charges apply to ALL ticket purchases (online and box office)’ - Credit card only at door

About:

In 1994, Illinois Poet Laureate Gwendolyn Brooks began talking to the Guild Complex about creating a contest in which Illinois poets would read their poetry to win a cash prize. She wanted a way to encourage people to write poetry and share it with others. The Guild, which already had a long-standing relationship with Gwendolyn Brooks, loved the idea and immediately worked to make it happen. In June of that year, Gwendolyn Brooks sat in the audience of the first Gwendolyn Brooks Open Mic Awards. A total of 76 poets read in a program that took 3.5 hours. She listened to every poem read. When the winner was selected, she walked up to the stage, pulled a checkbook out of her bag, and personally wrote the winner the check for $500. Since then, the Guild Complex has run the awards every year and ensures that they remain welcoming, inclusive events that celebrate a wide range of styles and poets from across the state of Illinois.

Golden Hour at Epiphany:

Stop by Epiphany for our live music series concerts, and be sure to hit Golden Hour before-hand for drinks and lite-bites! Doors open at 5pm Thursday - Saturday for Golden Hour with 1/2 priced bottles of wine and other specials!

Come early to EXPLORE and DISCOVER your own EPIPHANY… our art galleries are open and there is free entertainment before the show!

Please note that outside food or beverages are not permitted in the venue.