Side Street Studio Arts hosts multidisciplinary artist Ramona Rotten for interactive poetry workshop and Winter Fringe Festival performance
Ramona Rotten, the 2025 Going Dutch artist-in-residence, will lead a Blackout Poetry Workshop and perform at the annual Winter Mini Fringe Festival at Side Street Studio Arts in Elgin.
A Chicago-based multidisciplinary artist and artistic director of the Meat Machine Ensemble Theatre, Ramona will host a Blackout Poetry Workshop at 3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 26, in the gallery, 15 Ziegler Court. The event is free and open to the public.
Participants will discover the art of creating poetry from existing texts in this interactive workshop. Whether a seasoned poet or new to the craft, individuals will explore creativity through the technique of erasure.
Using materials like newspapers and old books, attendees will select and illuminate words to craft meaningful poems while blacking out the rest. Supplies will be provided, but participants are encouraged to bring their own text to transform. This workshop offers an inclusive and community-focused environment, celebrating the power of words and artistic expression.
Erin Rehberg, founder and artistic director of Going Dutch, shared her enthusiasm for the event: “Ramona Rotten embodies the spirit of Going Dutch with her bold, unflinching approach to art. Her workshop and performance offer a unique opportunity for our community to experience the transformative power of creativity.”
Ramona Rotten also will perform at Elgin Fringe’s sixth annual Winter Mini Fringe Festival, a cozy evening of creativity and connection with the Elgin Fringe Festival. The event will be held from 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 25. It will feature visual and performing artists, with Ramona Rotten’s performance scheduled for 5 p.m.
The Winter Mini Fringe includes a communal potluck from 3 to 8 p.m. Audiences are encouraged to bring a dish to share with fellow audience members, performers, and artists. Food is welcome in the performances.
Advance tickets for Winter Mini Fringe are $13 per performance or $35 for a festival pass. At the door, it will be $15 per performance or $40 for a festival pass
Tickets are available at elginfringefestival.com.
Ramona Rotten is a multidisciplinary artist whose work challenges societal norms and explores themes of censorship, history, and taboo. She is committed to giving voice to banned and censored works, staging plays from around the globe that confront preconceived notions about art and respectability.
Her residency and performances are made possible through support from the Elgin Cultural Arts Commission and Going Dutch, a celebration of female and nonbinary voices in the arts.
All are welcome to these inspiring events that spotlight artistry, community, and creativity. For more information, visit sidestreetstudioarts.org, elginfringefestival.com, follow Side Street Studio Arts on social media, or call (847) 429-2276.