The Betsy-South Beach Debuts Writer’s Room During National Poetry Month Programs
Writers In Residence Program At South Beach Boutique Hotel Kicks Off With Six Poets in Residence
The Betsy-South Beach has been internationally recognized for its hospitality with great food, exquisite design, luxurious comfort and unassuming service. Since re-opening its doors in 2009, the hotel has nurtured the arts and culture community through its on-going events and programs from hosting art exhibitions to lobby concerts, and from book signings to poetry readings. The writer’s room at The Betsy debuts for National Poetry Month 2012, with six poets in residence, who will offer public readings, an exhibition of works, as well as hosting workshops for underserved students at public schools. The Betsy’s co-sponsors are the Hyam Plutzik Centennial, O, Miami, and the University of Wynwood, with several other supporting community partners.
Poets include former two-time U.S. Poet Laureate Billy Collins who will be the first visiting poet for National Poetry Month, and Campbell McGrath, a MacArthur Genius Award winner. Four emerging poets: Melissa Broder, R. Dwayne Betts, Malachi Black, and Ariana Reines are also in residence at The Betsy during April. Concluding the poets in residence will be award-winning poet, critic, and CEO of Ecco Press/HarperCollins, Daniel Halper . Each poet will present public readings throughout the month, and some will reach out to community-based organizations, including public schools and veterans’ organizations. A grand opening for the Writer’s Room takes place Summer 2012, when a full schedule of visiting writers will be announced for the 2012-2013 year.
The Writer’s Room at The Betsy is a working studio space on Ocean Drive for visiting writers, created as part of the hotel’s continuing effort to link past and present through the arts – paying homage to the many ‘writing rooms’ that existed in pre-war hotels where guests recorded memories and linked to home.
Designed by Italian Interior Designer, Diamante Pedersoli, with support from The Miami Design District Community. Visiting writers will use a desk donated to The Betsy by the Hyam Plutzik Centennial Committee to commemorate the poet’s sojourn as a solider in Florida during the 1940’s on his way to war. Born 100 years ago, and a Pulitzer Prize finalist before his death, Hyam Plutzik is the father of The Betsy hotel owner, Jonathan Plutzik. Hyam is a muse for The Betsy’s literary programs, inspiring the hotel’s devotion to literature with poems left on pillows, in-room libraries, and in the poetry collections exhibited in the hotel’s lobby.
The hotel has worked with over 200 local nonprofit partners over the last three years. Philanthropic interests include education, non-profit sustainability, literature and the arts, culture, and African Relief — arenas that have been supported for many years by Jonathan Plutzik and Lesley Goldwasser, both investment bankers and Co-Presidents of the PG Family Foundation in New York City.
About The Betsy
Dramatically poised alongside its Art Deco neighbors, The Betsy is a distinguished landmark hotel on Ocean Drive. The Betsy’s 61 rooms and suites are private, beachside havens where sensory details, imaginative amenities, and inspirational design coalesce to produce an unparalleled experience in South Beach. Elegant, but relaxed tropical interiors and an intimate courtyard pool, maintain an aura that is passionately low-key. The Deck at The Betsy, an expansive rooftop with sweeping views of the Atlantic, offers a Wellness Garden with a range of spa treatments, therapies, and yoga. Specialty cocktails and light fare are offered at the exquisite lobby bar, or one may prefer fine dining at Laurent Tourondel's new take of modern American steakhouse - BLT Steak. The Betsy is truly South Beach… Refined.
About The Hyam Plutzik Centennial
In his lifetime, the Poet Hyam Plutzik had a mission: that people would not only experience poetry on the page, but would also know the excitement of an impassioned author at the podium and a rapt audience. Plutzik started small—reading his own poetry to students, and later launching the longest running collegiate poetry reading series in the United States - The Plutzik Poetry Series at the University of Rochester. This year, the University, along with the Hyam Plutzik Centennial Committee, celebrates the series' 50th year and the centennial anniversary of Plutzik's birth. In addition to the series of events that pay homage to his legacy as a poet, educator, and promoter of the arts, Plutzik's second book of poetry, Apples from Shinar, has been reissued by Wesleyan University Press. This edition includes Plutzik's previously unpublished introduction, and a new afterward by David Scott Kastan, George M. Bodman Professor of English at Yale University. The book is available for pre-order at Amazon.com.
About O, Miami and The University of Wynwood
O, Miami is a biennial poetry festival created by the University of Wynwood (UW) and founding sponsor the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. The mission of O, Miami is for every single person in Miami Dade County to encounter a poem during the month of April. The first month-long festival took place in 2011, and will continue in April 2013. For more information, please visit omiami.org. The University of Wynwood is a 501c3 non-profit dedicated to advancing contemporary literature in Miami, FL. UW is made possible through support from the Knight Foundation, Miami-Dade County, and the City of Miami Beach. For more information, please visit universityofwynwood.org. P. Scott Cunningham, a local poet and graduate of Florida International University, is the visionary behind both organizations.
The Betsy ∙ 1440 Ocean Drive ∙ Miami Beach, FL 33139
Reservations: Tel: 305-531-6100 / 866-792-3879 Fax: 305-531-9009
Kathleen Duda, Managing Director
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