FESTIVAL UNBOUND

Join Basement Poetry artistic director Chloe Cole-Wilson for a special writing and paper-crafting workshop. Centered around the Allentown Art Museum’s newest community art-making project, Restoring Petals is an experience centered on the intersection of visual arts, performing arts, and mental health. The workshop offers an interactive opportunity to connect through art-making and to use dialogue as a tool to restore our souls, find healing and rest, and to cultivate joy.

In this workshop, we will center our art-making and our conversations around home and community, reflecting on the past few years. What has changed around our universal concepts of home and community ? How can we support each other as we move forward?

As a community, we will fold paper sunflowers while giving participants an opportunity to share their poetry, short stories, and monologues created during our time together for a final story slam.

Chloe Cole Wilson has been engaging in social work and trauma-informed care for communities of color and LGBTQ communities for more than nine years, and is the cofounder of Basement Poetry, a community-centered theater company. In addition to her work in poetry and theater, Chloe works as a coordinator at Project Silk LV, teaches theater, and serves as a substance-abuse counselor. She is committed to creating spaces where it is safe to process intense topics such as death, racism, mental health, and the obstacles faced by LGBTQ+ folks. Chloe is a 2023 Allentown Art Museum Art + Action fellow.

WHAT TO EXPECT

CONTENT WARNING: This workshop may discuss difficult topics that may not be suitable for anyone under the age of 16. We encourage you to register beforehand and be prepared to create and listen.

RUN TIME: 2 hours 30 minutes.

VENUE: The Touchstone Theatre Cafe – 321 E. Fourth St., Bethlehem, PA 18015

PARKING: There is a small parking lot directly behind Touchstone Theatre that will be available for you to park in. If that s full, there is nearby street or lot parking (here s a link to Bethlehem parking options). Recommended options include: 1) Mechanic Street Parking Lot between Webster & Taylor Streets and Mechanic Street and the Greenway 3 min walk or 2) the Polk St. Garage (400 Block E. 3rd St.) 3 min walk.

ACCESSIBILITY INFORMATION: Accessible restrooms are available inside Touchstone Theatre. Touchstone strives to create an environment where all members of our community, of all abilities, feel welcome. Please contact (610) 867-1689 or via email at touchstone@touchstone.org to request accessibility accommodations in advance.

AFTER THE WORKSHOP: We recommend dropping by Venture X (306 South New St.) between 12-2pm to experience Alexander Khimushin s The World In Faces photography exhibit, featured at the United Nations in Geneva, UNESCO Paris, and the Council Of Europe in Strasbourg. More info here!

[Image description: A hand holds the handle of a wicker basket that is overflowing with sunflowers. These golden flowers were built out of paper, and appear to be handmade. In the background we can see a blue canvas on an easel. Several of these sunflowers have been attached to it forming a pleasing collage.]