Annual Programs

Writers' Series

Each winter (January and February) and summer (July and August), SOMOS presents a multi-evening series of readings by noted authors, from Taos, the region and occasionally nationally-acclaimed writers and poets. The readings are held at several venues: the Harwood Museum's Arthur Bell Auditorium, TCA's Encore Gallery and community auditorium, the Mabel Dodge Luhan House, and private galleries. To find the next scheduled writers' events, see our event calendar.

Youth Mentorship Program

The SOMOS Youth Writers' Mentorship Program pairs young writers (7th-12th grade) in Taos with adult writers, for one-on-one mentorships. February through April, mentorship pairs meet at coffeeshops, the library, the park (in spring!), or wherever they can find a comfy spot to write together, share writing trials and tribulations, and generally keep those creative juices flowing. And, it’s completely FREE.

We have mentors for all genres and levels of experience; young people range from newly-interested students to young folks finishing up their first novel. Over the course of the program we offer several creative writing workshops (previous years have featured screenwriting, songwriting, and poetry, to name a few topics) open to the public; a great opportunity for mentors and mentees to explore new ground together. This year we will also have an open writing group (for 7th-12th graders) every Thursday from 2-5pm at the SOMOS office, beginning in February.

The program is in its 19th year, and it's always a ton of fun. Questions or comments can be addressed to Rita O'Connell, Rita@RitaOConnell.com.
 

Storytelling Festival

Don’t you love attending an event that stirs your imagination, evokes deep laughter and perhaps tears? Welcome to storytelling, an art form that fills your mind, body and heart. A good storyteller can weave you through the spectrum of emotion and create an image that returns months and years later; a line, metaphor, or moral that sticks with us – an intellectual anchor that we can draw upon. Being engaged with a fine storyteller is a work out for the soul; a bright mode of communication and connection in this quick throw away society. SOMOS has created an annual event that provides just this kind of outlet and opportunity.

SOMOS's Taos Storytelling Festival is held every October at the TCA, Taos Center for the Arts. It offers an impressive lineup of tellers spinning their tales in concerts, children stories, a workshop, a story swap and in visits to our local schools. Stay tuned for details about the 2012 Festival!