What are you doing this summer? Why not spend part of it immersed in poetry? There are dozens of poetry workshops at colleges, universities and art centers around the country. Here”s a select handful with upcoming registration deadlies.

The Santa Barbara Poetry Workshop takes place August 5-7 at Westmont College in Montecito. Your poems can win you a free scholarship for the workshop. For details, visit the web site or call 805-966-1423 and
805-687-9535.

FINDING THE POETIC HIGH: BUILDING A SPOKEN WORD CULTURE WITH YOUTH, A workshop for teachers of students in Grades 4-12 takes place July 10-14 at UC Berkley. Says the course synopsis: In this workshop, find out how spoken word poetry can be a catalyst for sparking a youth-empowered classroom, while also connecting to the standards, district adopted instructional materials, and to the curriculum.

The Provincetown Fine Arts Workshop offers over 30 poetry workshops over the course of the summer. Their summer catalog includes offerings for beginning through experienced poets, including one designed especially for prose writers seeking to find a poetic voice.

Further down the East Coast you can sign up for a 7 week poetry workshop sponsored by the South Florida Poetry Project. The first meeting is this weekend, May 12, at the Luna Star Cafe in North Miami.

The University of Iowa Summer Writing Festival enters its twentieth year with writing workshops in all genres including one week and weekend poetry workshops taking place all summer long.

Keep your eye here on Wednesdays for more workshops taking place around the country.