Frank X Walker Creative Arts Festival features visits to DISD schools

Frank X Walker speaks at a podium on the Gravely Hall Performing Arts Center stage

Oct 19 2023 9:18 AM

As part of the Frank X Walker Creative Arts Festival the week of Oct. 16-20, Frank X Walker visited students from Danville High School, John W. Bate Middle School, Edna L. Toliver Intermediate School, and Mary G. Hogsett Primary School.

Among his many talents, Walker is a poet, professor, playwright and artist. He became the first African-American Kentucky Poet Laureate in 2013.

A DHS graduate himself, he gave Artist Talks for DHS and Bate students on Tuesday and read his children's book, "A is for Affrilachia," for students at Toliver and Hogsett on Wednesday.

The Artist Talks consisted of Walker discussing his work, how he blends art forms like poetry and visual art, and how he focuses on history in much of his art, especially Kentucky history.

Frank X Walker addresses Bate students at an Artist talk in Gravely Hall Performing Arts Center. — *Walker addresses Bate students at an Artist talk in Gravely Hall Performing Arts Center.*

Frank X Walker stands on the Gravely Hall stage with pictures from his past projected behind him. — *During his Artist Talks, Walker talked about African-American history, Kentucky history, and his own personal and family history.*

"A is for Affrilachia," which he read sections of for grades 1-5, is his first children's book. He has published a total of 13 books.

A couple of other festival events took place on Tuesday evening at the Boyle County Public Library and were open to the public: a Young Adult Poetry Workshop and the Frank X Walker Visual Art Exhibit Opening Reception.

The Frank X Walker Visual Art Exhibit is now on display at the Boyle County Public Library.

A schedule of Frank X Walker Creative Arts Festival Events is available in this PDF: Frank X Walker Creative Arts Festival Schedule. Information about the 2023 Art and Poetry Olympiad Contest, which is part of the festival and runs through Nov. 10, is available at this link: 2023 Art and Poetry Olympiad Contest Rules and Guidelines

Frank X Walker talks to a Hogsett student — *Walker talks with Hogsett students about their projects that are being submitted to the 2023 Art and Poetry Olympiad Contest.*

Frank X Walker talks to a Hogsett student in the Hogsett library. — *Walker talks to another Hogsett student about the 2023 Art and Poetry Olympiad Contest.*

*Walker reads a page from "A is for Affrilachia" on the Toliver theatre stage.*

Walker talks to Toliver students in the Toliver theatre. — *In a talk about the Appalachian mountains, Walker asks Toliver students to hold up their arms in the shape of a mountain.*

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