Wholly Shift: Poetic Alchemy for Getting Unstuck (a poetry workshop for all)
April 28, 2026 07:00 PM to 08:30 PM
Center for Diversity Lounge, 2nd Floor Sisson
https://potsdam.campuslabs.com/engage/event/12424142
Wholly Shift: Poetic Alchemy for Getting Unstuck is a two-part offering that includes a 90 minute interactive poetry workshop (April 28) at the Center for Diversity, followed by an open mic at Hurley's Night Club for members of the campus community and general public on April 29, which will include a 30 minute feature set of poetry from Montreal-based guest poet and teaching artist, Griffin Payne. Drawing on 15+ years experience facilitating poetry workshops in schools, community centers, and mental health facilities, the Wholly Shift workshop is intended to help people shift their mindset and process with writing in order to unleash creativity and gain new tools for relating to one’s self and their experiences in the world. Grounded in a mix of practices from the domains of mindfulness, narrative medicine, and process drama, participants will be guided through a series of creative exercises and conversations that are meant to help open new ways of seeing and writing within a mutually supportive space.
All levels of experience are welcome at the Poetry Workshop on 4/28 from 7-8:30pm at the Center for Diversity! The workshop will be facilitated by Griffin Payne. Limited open mic spots are available for the Poetry Open Mic at Hurley's on 4/29 from 7:30-9:30pm. Sign ups for open mic spots will be at 7pm on 4/29 in Hurley's. Workshop participants will have the first opportunity to sign up.
Griffin Payne (they/them) is a poet and multidisciplinary misfit based in Montreal. Originally from the mountains of Western North Carolina, they have a background in education, mental health, and arts-based community organizing. With a M.A. in Human Systems Intervention from Concordia University, Griffin works professionally as an independent community development consultant and researcher, supporting non-profits and funders of community work in helping to make the world a slightly less awful place. Unprofessionally, Griffin is the co-founder and co-producer of The Pink Line Cabaret, a grassroots queer arts collective that organizes cabaret-style shows featuring a wide diversity of artists and art forms all in service to raising funds for community groups and causes.