The Wilde Reading Series is a free, once-monthly literary reading series held from September–June that provides local writers— poets, fiction, and non-fiction— a chance to share their work with the community.  Each session invites two featured authors to read and engage the audience in conversation, followed by an open mic for interested audience members of all ages, backgrounds, and experience to share their writing in a safe and supportive environment.

The atmosphere is welcoming, and it’s a wonderful opportunity to get feedback on work-in-progress, and to connect with your local literary neighbors.  All genres are accepted; open mic participants are asked to keep their readings to five minutes or less.  While walk-up participation is welcomed, time permitting, if you would like to reserve open mic time, please let us know via this online form.  Come explore how a range of creativity can inspire and fuel the imagination and nurture one’s own craft and well-being.

Wilde Readings are held in-person, second Tuesdays of each month, 7–9 p.m. from September through June.  Beginning with the 2024 season, we are pleased to invite you to join us at our NEW venue: independent bookstore Queen Takes Book, located in Suite E of the Snowden Center off Oakland Mills Road, in Columbia.  Changes to the regular schedule will be announced on the home page here at hocopolitso.org, and on the Wilde Readings Facebook page.

The Wilde Reading Series is sponsored by HoCoPoLitSo and coordinated by Laura Shovan, Ann Bracken, and Linda Joy Burke, with the support of the owners and staff of Queen Takes Book.

NOTE: The Wilde Readings team and HoCoPoLitSo seek to create a safe and inclusive space for all members of our audience. As artists ourselves, we encourage our featured artists and open mic readers to freely express themselves and their art. However, we recognize sometimes that may mean the artists broach subjects that may be sensitive or controversial – particularly in this volatile socio-political climate. Just as we encourage our artists and open mic readers to speak freely, we encourage our audience to do the same. We encourage you to speak freely with any comments or questions during the Q&A portion of the evening or using the chat and comments sections on the Zoom and Facebook platforms. Good art encourages discussion, and we are happy to provide that forum to the extent time allows.